Sombra Saga of hatred
by HiddenUnderACouch
Summary: There are many names in the world. Some names are spoken with joy and happiness, others with disgust and hatred. But there is one name that is never spoken. The name, that is never mentioned. The very sound of this name makes ponies tremble and shake. This name is doomed by all living beings, as the its bearer made the whole world to suffer. This name is Sombra.
1. Innocence

Amethyst was sitting on the bench, just outside the maternity hospital. Lucky for him, the sun was high up in the sky, shining brightly. In this light, his crystal skin was shimmered with blue and ultramarine colors. The building of the maternity hospital was pure white - good care was taken of it every time of year.

Amethyst was nervously playing with the basket he brought. Inside were fruits, vegetables and baking - all for his dear wife, Willemite. Just this morning, her doctor informed him that the big day is today. Today, his child will be born.

He remembered the moment Willemite told him that she's pregnant. That day, nevermind that it was rainy and muddy, became the brightest moment in his life. From that day on, he never left his wife - he helped her at every moment, sometimes he talked with the child, and, no matter how much Willemite tried to convince him that their baby can't hear him, he still talked. But finally, the months of waiting have passed, and soon, he will see his little child for the first time! Who will it be - a beautiful mare, who will conquer the hearts of crystal ponies with her beauty, a brave stallion, who will protect the Crystal Empire with honor and righteous fury - that is unknown to him. Still, he will be pretty happy if the child will choose a more simple life, like the he and Willemite have.

Finally, he saw movement in the window that lead to the ward where his wife was. Then, in a matter of seconds, his beloved wife opened the window and shown herself. She was even more beautiful than ever - her silver mane was reflecting the sun rays, and her crystal skin was shimmering with green and dark turquoise.

"Who is it?!" - the excited Amethyst shouted, jumping from the bench.

"It's a stallion!" - Willemite replied in a loud voice, sounding very happy. "Come up here, take a look at him!"

Without further ado, Amethyst rushed inside the maternity hospital. Everything was swirling inside him, everything was shining - he couldn't be happier!

Amethyst approached the door, leading to the ward. The nurse made him to put on a white medical gown before he entered - the sterility and all. Finally, he opened the door, and entered. Inside, Willemite was standing near the cradle, slowly and carefully swaying it. Amethyst was about to loudly exclaim something, but she sensed that and hissed at him to stay quiet - the baby has just been born, he needs to sleep.

Amethyst smiled awkwardly, and slowly and quietly approached his wife. She moved aside, letting him to take a look at his son. Finally after so many months, he will see his son, his legacy and his pride.

The baby was an unicorn, just like his mommy and daddy. However, his colors were really different. His mane was pitch black, and his skin was dark grey. This surprised Amethyst a little - both he and Willemite had bright colors, as did their mothers and fathers. But nature will never obey the rules - if it gave his son the dark colors, he will wear them with pride.

"He's so charming, isn't he?" - Willemite asked, smiling and moving herself closer to Amethyst. The baby lazily overturned, trying to cover himself from the light. This looked so adorable Amethyst couldn't help but giggle.

"He is beautiful. Every mare will be his, I tell you that!" - he said, and Willemite bumped him in the side. Too early to think of that!

"So, how should we name him? Maybe Diamond Eye? My mother wanted me to name him that. Or should we name him Emerald Mane? My father would love that name" - Willemite said quietly.

Amethyst looked at his son, and felt, that none of these name will fit. His son was special, he was destined for something great. Something beyond Amethyst and his wife could imagine.

"No... I can feel that my son is destined for greatness. I know, that when time will come, all of his Crystal Empire will talk about him. His name... must be very special, it must be different from all others" - he said, and Willemite nod acceptingly. Her husband was very skillful at magic, and, sometimes, he could tell the future. Only the little specks of it, but right now, he talks like he is absolutely sure, so she will not protest.

"I know that one day, you will rise to the heights that we could never even imagine. You will become great and powerful - maybe you will be a great magician, maybe you will be a honored and respected general. I do not know... But the name we give you today will be written into history forever, of that I am sure... Carry your legacy with pride, and, when you become the greatest, don't forget your old parents, okay?" - he said, and giggled. "Carry your name with pride, for it will make you special... Sombra"


	2. Easier way

Willemite looked through the shelves, carefully swiping away any specks of dust she could find. Lord Misty Pearl was very protective of his books and always reminded her to check them first. After about an hour of cleaning the endless shelves of books, she could finally attend to her other duties. She still had to make a dinner for Pearl's kids, collect their stuff for school then escort them there. Every day went like this, except Saturday and Sunday - on those days, she just had to clean the house and prepare the dinner.

Willemite sighed heavily. Things were not going very bright for her family - ever since Amethyst was banished from the Magic Academy for disagreeing with Head Mage, he desperately tried to find a job, but with no success. Nopony needs teachers these days. She went downstairs to the kitchen to prepare the dinner.

The house of Misty Pearl was gigantic. It had three floors, and at every floor there was at least seven rooms. The third room was completely devoted to children - play rooms, bedrooms, anything a child would desire. The second floor was for adults - Misty Pearl and his wife, Ruby. There were also a cabinet, where Pearl could relax and work in peace, a room for Ruby's dresses and a little servant room, where Willemite resided. It was small, quite tight and messy, but Willemite liked to spend some quiet minutes there, just to catch a breath and relax.

The first floor was devoted to the rest of the needs - kitchen, guest room, bathroom, everything. The first floor was the biggest, for the guest hall, that welcomed Misty's visitors, was enormous and fancy.

Willemite went down through stairs, and soon she reached the kitchen. First she chopped some vegetables for Night Spark, Misty's daughter, about 12 years old. She was pretty young, but, and Willemite wasn't afraid to admit it, was turning into a real bitch. She was so full of herself, never listened to Willemite, and never missed a chance to insult her. Then, she poured some milk into a metallic cup and put it onto the magical fire, that was hot, but contained, for Misty's little children - Agate and Kyanite. These two were quite charming, but really messy and noisy. Still, they were only 2 years old. They reminded her of Sombra, when he was little, but he was much more calm and quiet.

After the milk heated up enough, she took the cup off the fire and poured the warm milk into two smaller cups that she used to feed children with. Now, to make something for Misty's son, Star Gem. He always liked bakery, so Willemite decided to make some bread and butter for him.

When everything was done, she put the dishes on the big table. Soon, they will come here for dinner.

In several minutes, Night Spark arrived. Just as usual, she was looking at herself in the mirror, combing her mane at the same time. Willemite had to admit - Night Spark looked very good, with her light pink mane and skin that shimmered with pink and soft red colors.

"Night Spark, you should really watch out for stairs. You can trip and get hurt, dear" - Willemite said.

"Well, that would be just what you want, eh?" - Night Spark hissed rudely. "Is my dinner ready?"

"Yes, of course" - Willemite bumbled.

"Ehem, I'd ask you..." - Night Spark looked strictly at Willemite, and she sighed.

"Yes, of course, your highness"

"Better" - she replied and sat down at her place.

Soon, Star Gem arrived. He carried both Agate and Kyanite, and silently put them into their proper seats. Willemite liked him - the boy was 15 years old, much more responsible and clever than his sister. He sometimes liked to engage with peaceful conversations with Willemite - sometimes, they talked for quite a while. He was also quite pretty - his skin was the ivory color, and his mane was a bit darker, being grey.

Star Gem quickly started to eat the bread and butter one by one. Night Spark, however, was much more picky.

"Ew, how old are these vegetables? You know I don't like old vegetables!" - she said, poking the food with her hoof.

"They were only delivered a day ago. They are very fresh, I promise" - Willemite said, but that didn't do any effect.

"You really do want to poison me! Poison me with outdated vegetables! I'm definitely going to tell my father about this..."

"Please, Spark, shut up! I'm trying to eat, ok?!" - Star Gem said to his sister, looking at her strictly. She quickly became quiet. Willemite smiled at Star Gem as a sign of gratitude.

After the dinner, it was time to gather the kids' things and take them to school. Willemite went upstairs to collect their books. When the schoolbags were full, she went downstairs and handed the bags to Night Spark and Star Gem.

"In five minutes, we're heading out" - she said, as she found the baby carriage for Agate and Kyanite.

"Hey, Willemite, what school did you go to?" - Night Spark asked.

"I went to the local school in Golden Watch. I grew up there" - she said, being surprised by Spark's sudden interest in her life.

"Golden Watch? The old village on the outskirts of the Empire? Bah!" - she said scornfully and turned away. Star Gem sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry. My sister sometimes is a real pain in the..."

"Hey! I can hear you!" - she said resentfully.

"Then shut up and let's go! Willemite, I think we'll go alone. I know the way, and I'll make sure that my sister won't get lost. You have other things to do than babysit us" - Star Gem said, and went outside, taking his sister with him, despite her constant complaints.

Willemite sighed with relief. Well, at least something was going her way this day. Still, she had to watch over the kids now. She took them from their seats and made her way to the third floor, when she suddenly bumped into Misty Pearl.

"Oh, Willemite, I was just going downstairs to talk to you" - he said, fixing his hat. "I wanted to inform you, that me and Ruby have a little bit off time today, so you can go home now - we can take care of the kids"

"Thank you, Mr. Misty Pearl. Thank you so much" - she said, as he took the kids.

"You may go home now" - he said, and went to the third floor. Willemite smiled to herself and went outside the mansion.

The weather outside was quite nice - the sun was shining, the clouds were not present and everything seemed fine. Willemite exited the yard and went through the busy streets of Crystal City, the capital of Crystal Empire. Ponies were going about their business - some were going for some shopping, some were hurrying for work. She just slowly walked around, looking at the beautiful buildings.

Soon, she reached the outskirts of the town, where she lived with her family. A much grittier and dirty place of the town - all those who couldn't afford a house in the center, lived here. Willemite made her way through the littered streets, avoiding some shady companies, and finally made it to her house. It was a small hut, made out of wood. They bought it when they finally moved to Crystal City. Amethyst really liked it, for it was big enough for them and the child.

Willemite opened the door and was finally relieved to be at home. She closed the door behind her and cleaned her hooves on the 'welcome' rug.

A sound of quick steps reached her ears, as she saw her son running to welcome her.

"Mom!" - Sombra said and hugged her. Willemite smiled.

"I'm glad to see you too, dear. Where's daddy?" - she asked, and just at this moment Amethyst came out to her. He was smiling, but she could read sorrow in his eyes.

"Hello, dear. You're early today" - he said in a somewhat sad voice.

"Yes, thankfully. What happened? You sound sad"

"Really? No, no, everything's all right" - he said, and went to the kitchen. Willemite sighed.

"Sombra, go play in your room. Me and daddy need to talk" - she said to Sombra, and went to the kitchen. Instead of following his mother's advice, Sombra quietly sneaked to the kitchen door and sat down near it, so he would hear everything that will happen behind it.

"Amethyst, tell me what happened"

"Nothing, I tell you... everything is all right" - father's voice was shaking a bit.

"Oh, dammit, Amethyst! Stop being such a wimp and tell me!" - Willemite said, as she started to lose patience.

"Okay, okay! I tried to apply for the job... and, well... they will accept me, but I have to pay first" - he said, and Willemite sighed loudly in frustration.

"You were gambling again, weren't you?!" - she shouted in anger.

"Dear, I thought that I was lucky this time..." - Amethyst started to talk, but Willemite rudely interrupted him.

"You thought?! YOU THOUGHT?! You don't seem to think at all last years! All you do is gamble away the money I bring home! We have a child, Amethyst, don't you ever think of him!" - she shouted angrily, and Amethyst backed away. This year Sombra will turn six years, and they will have to find a proper school for him. Amethyst understood it all.

"Willemite, you know I'm not doing it for myself! I play so we have money for the future... I was just... down on my luck" - he said, trying to justify his actions.

"They are lying to you, Amethyst! You will never win there, you're just wasting your time and our money!" - she shouted in anger. "You just go there because you like to play! Do you even care for our son?!"

"SHUT UP!" - Amethyst suddenly snapped, and pushed her. Willemite fell, knocking down a chair. Seconds after, his face changed from anger to deep shock.

"Willemite... I am... so sorry... I didn't want to..." - he said, stuttering and babbling as he backed away.

"Yeah... I see... I see..." - Willemite replied, getting up. Tears were running down her face.

"Willemite, please, I really didn't want to..."

"Just... leave me alone for now... please..." - she said quietly. Amethyst didn't say anything, and just went to the door. Sombra quickly ran away from the door and hid in the locker. First, Amethyst came out and went to the bedroom. After a few minutes, Willemite came out, trying to hold tears. However, when Amethyst was closed the door behind him, she couldn't help but sob.

Sombra quickly got out of the locker and ran to his mother.

"Mommy, what happened?" - he said in a concerned voice. Willemite quickly swiped away the tears and tried to smile.

"It's nothing, dear. Mommy just... tripped. Yeah" - she said, realizing that right now she looks really stupid.

"I heard you shouting... What happened?" - Sombra said, looking right at her with his big blue eyes.

"We were having a... disagreement. Nothing serious... Go to your room, Sombra. I'll call for you when diner will be ready, okay?" - Willemite said, and smiled. If Sombra was a bit older, he would surely see through this fake smile. Maybe he did, he just didn't want to disappoint his mother.

"Okay" - he replied and ran to his room. Finally, when she was all alone, Willemite was able to sit down and sob quietly. This was getting worse and worse with each passing day. Amethyst's addiction to gambling was driving their family downhill. What happened to him? They had quarrels before, but they never resulted in violence. What if he hurts Sombra next?

Willemite breathed deeply, trying to calm down. Everything will be all right. They will live through this.

* * *

Willemite was in the library, swiping the shelves. Her head hurt badly, as she slept very little last night. The dark thoughts haunted her mind until the morning - she was lying beside her husband, with her eyes open, staring into the ceiling. Everything seemed a mess, everything seemed so idiotic.

Unable to withstand the headache, she sat down on the couch to rest a bit. What was happening to them? Why did their life turn so miserable? Why does Sombra has to grow up in such an atmosphere - the atmosphere where you can't feel safe, where your beloved can turn on you at any moment? He doesn't deserve to live in this hell.

"Willemite, are you okay?" - a familiar voice disturbed her descent into thoughts. She turned around and looked. It was Star Gem. What was he doing here? He's supposed to be at school right now!

"Star Gem? What are you doing here?" - she said, getting up from the couch.

"I... we have a day off today" - Star Gem tried to lie. However, noticing that it didn't work, he sighed and prepared to tell the truth.

"I stayed because of you. I... I can help you"- he said in a persuasive voice. "I can help your family"

For a moment Willemite was staggered. Misty Pearl was quite a rich man. He loved his son, and always pandered to his whims. This... this may be a chance for Sombra to have a normal life.

"What do you mean?" - she replied with a question.

"I mean that I can give you as much money as you need. My father is wealthy - and you will be wealthy too. I just want... you"

"W...WHAT?!" - Willemite shouted in utter shock.

"For all these years, you took care of us. My sister doesn't appreciate this, but she is a total bitch. I do! I appreciate your help... I think I fell in love with you" - he said, and came closer to her.

"Star Gem, I have a husband! I have a child! This is just inconceivable! I'm a married mare, I have a family" - Willemite said, backing away. This all started to look like a really cheesy story.

"They won't know. It's just... this one time" - he said quietly and moved closer. Willemite backed down, and bumped into the shelf. She was cornered.

"This is just wrong... this is so wrong!" - Willemite said, as she finally gathered her strength and rushed towards the exit, pushing Star Gem out of the way. That was it - she will leave this damned house as fast as she can, maybe she won't even take her monthly wage. This is just sick!

However, the door was suddenly slammed. It didn't matter how hard Willemite tried to bash it open or use her magic to open it, it didn't work. Star Gem's horn was glowing with white energy, as the key to the door flew into the corner of the room.

"Please... Star Gem... please... don't do it!" - Willemite said, falling down on her knees. This is nightmare. She hoped that at any moment, she will just wake up with a loud scream, covered in cold sweat. But he was coming closer, and she wasn't waking up.

* * *

The nightmare lasted for about thirty minutes, but for her it seemed like an eternity. She felt herself lifeless and numb, as world around her became colorless. Her eyes were filled with tears, but she couldn't cry. She couldn't think of anything, but her family - what now? What will they think? What will they do? How will they react?

Star Gem finally got off her and sat down on the couch - this has probably been the most outstanding moment of his life - the first time is always unforgettable. His heart was beating fast, pumping blood quicker than before. He was breathing heavily, feeling exhausted.

Willemite slowly turned herself to the corner, where the key was lying. She gathered all her remaining strength and picked it up with her magic. Star Gem was too busy catching a breath to notice her manipulation with the door. She opened the door, and started slowly crawling towards the exit. She could get up, but something kept her down, made her crawl like a worm, an insect.

With most of her strength gone, she reached the stairs. She only needed to go down and out of this house, forever. She just needs to go down the stairs, and she will soon see her son again. Willemite managed to stand up and then take a step down, but her body betrayed her. Or maybe it didn't, maybe it was just disgusted by the soul, inhabiting it. She lost her balance and started to fall down. Every hit echoed in her body as a dark beacon of pain.

The fall was over. Willemite fell almost right on her head. Something cracked, and she could feel the blood slowly leaving her body, along with life. She noticed Star Gem going out of the library and seeing her. His face suddenly turned from excited red to horrified pale. In his eyes she could see fear and the slow realization of the sin.

World started to darken, as life was leaving Willemite fast. She couldn't move, she couldn't speak - she could only cry. As tears ran down her face, in the bright flash she saw the most precious she had - her son. Little Sombra was playing with his toys, a cheap wooden replica of a gryphon. Sadness and grief filled her soul, as she regretted only one thing - she didn't give her son a proper life. She failed him, for she fell victim of this world, she wasn't strong enough. She cried, as her tears mixed with her blood, forming a puddle on the floor.

"Sombra... I'm sorry, my boy... Mommy won't come home anymore..." - she muttered her last words. She will die here, in the house she didn't want to go to, bearing a shame she had no chance to refuse. Willemite closed her eyes, accepting the death's cold embrace. She will die with her last thought being of hope, that her son will rise up, and have a better life than she did.

* * *

Sombra was in his room, playing with toys. This was how he spent the majority of his time - sometimes he read a book, but they quickly bore him, and he returned to the imaginary battlefields he created. The cheap toys made of wood in his mind quickly turned into brave warriors, who were ready to gave away their lives for justice. They were opposed by vile villains, who, accompanied by the army of their loyal minions, captured a princess and were holding her hostage. But the brave heroes of Crystal Empire were not afraid of them, as they were led to battle by their brave general Sombra.

Suddenly, pain, that could be compared to a flesh wound, struck his head. Maybe to an adult pony this would be endurable, but for young Sombra it felt like his brain was engulfed in flames. He fell on his back, screaming loudly. Along with the pain, he was blinded by visions. Being too young to control his magic, and see something in this constant never ending myriad of flashes and pictures. He heard loud screams, felt horrible pain, as his soul was burnt by visions.

Then, ten seconds later, it all stopped. The pain was gone, and visions faded away. He opened his eyes widely, trying to gasp as much air as possible. This was so chaotic and fast... but as the pain left, they left behind a single thought. This thought quickly pierced Sombra's unprotected soul - he felt that something very bad happened to his mother. Something very bad.

Amethyst quickly burst into his room. His face was all pale, and he looked scared.

"Sombra, what happened? I heard you screaming" - he said, quickly approaching his son and helping him to stand up.

"M...mommy is in danger... I can feel it..." - Sombra replied, his voice was trembling. "We've got to help her..."

"What do you mean? She's just at work. She will return in the evening, just as she always does" - Amethyst said, trying to calm him down but it didn't work. Sombra tried to walk to the door and leave, probably going to find his mother.

"Please, Sombra, calm down! This is just a magical surge - all unicorns have that at your age, it's okay. Just calm down" - Amethyst said, realizing what a bad liar he is.

This little lie didn't work, as Sombra was still trying to get out of his father's embrace.

"We have to help her... let me go!" - he screamed, trying to fight back. Amethyst was deeply shocked - what could provoke such a reaction from him? He was just peacefully playing seconds ago, and now he's rambling like a lunatic.

This all seemed very strange, and a horrible thought crossed Amethyst's mind - what if Willemite is really in danger? He took a deep breath.

"All right, Sombra, relax. I will go look for mother. You just stay home and try to relax. Sleep, if you want to. Daddy will be home soon, with mommy. Okay?" - he said, and Sombra finally seemed to calm down.

"O...okay... please, hurry" - he asked, and Amethyst smiled to him. Let's hope that Sombra's imagination just played some idiotic tricks on him.

* * *

Amethyst was going through the streets, trying to keep his hooded cape on, so it wouldn't be blown off by the wind. The weather was worse than yesterday - the sky was covered in clouds, and the wind was strong. It looked like it might rain, but Amethyst hoped that wouldn't happen.

As he passed through the outskirts, he could not stop thinking about what happened yesterday, about his quarrel with Willemite. What got into him then? He just... lost control over himself. Willemite looked so sad, and they haven't talked today in the morning at all. He really should lay off the gambling - not only he loses all the time, his relationships with Willemite get more and more tensioned with each passing day.

Soon, he finally reached the rich blocks of the Crystal City. Even in such a grim day, it looked very beautiful, and the crystals were sparkling despite the lack of sun. Amethyst was always a bit jealous of those who lived in the buildings made out of crystals - they looked so beautiful on the outside, so their inside must be even more beautiful.

Misty Pearl's house should in several minutes of walking by now. Even if Sombra was mistaken, and everything is all right, he really should bring Willemite back home, just to relieve Sombra - he looked very scared.

Something caught Amethyst's eye - a strange thing in the dark alley. It seems that somepony was lying there. At first, Amethyst thought it was some drunkard, but this is the rich part of the town - if any of ponies living here is a drunkard, he would probably be lying in his bed, served by maidens.

Amethyst decided to go check it out - what if something happened and this pony needs help? He quickly headed to the alley.

"Hello? Are you all right?" - he said, as he approached the pony. No answer followed. This alley was quite tight and small, and it seems nopony visits it that much. It's those kind of corners in rich blocks that everypony seems to avoid. As he approached, he become more and more worried as the pony started to look very familiar. Finally, the patch of reflected light from the crystal wall of the building allowed him to see the face of the pony.

Amethyst's heart stood still, and his blood felt cold as ice. His beloved Willemite was lying right before him. The blood on her head indicated a blunt trauma.

Amethyst quickly dashed towards her, in hope to bring her back to her senses. His soul was slowly filling with horror, as he realized she was not breathing.

"No.. No...NO!" - he shouted, as he shook her lifeless body again and again, trying to wake her up in vain. He slowly started to realize that nothing was helping. She was dead.

As grief filled him, he hugged her lifeless body, putting her head on his chest. Then, he just sat there for a while, running his hooves through her mane. He remembered how they first met, their first kiss, how they got married...

He remembered how he was happy when his son started to make his first steps. She was beside him, all those years, good and sad moments. And the last thing he caused her is pain.

"No...no...no..." - he said quietly, pressing her head to himself harder. Why did this happen to her? Why to her, his wife, his beloved?

He quickly looked around, trying to find anypony who could him. The alley was empty, and so were the streets, as ponies went to their houses, expecting a rain. Amethyst had no choice but to leave the body of his wife here, and head for the nearest Legion post.

The Legion were the enforcers of law and order in the Crystal Empire, they frequently patrolled the streets, solved troubles if there were any, investigated crimes. Of course, they always tended to avoid the poor blocks, in favor of rich ones.

He burst through the door, and almost knocked down one of the legionnaires, who was passing by the door.

"Whoah, watch it, mister!" - the legionnaire said, taking a step back.

"Please, you have to help me! There's been a murder! My wife's been murdered!" - Amethyst shouted loudly, and the legionnaire's eyes brightened.

"Really? Where? Take me there immediately" - he said, fixing his helmet that had tusks going out of its sides. Before following Amethyst, he shot a bolt of energy at the wall, signalizing an alert. Soon, rapid response team was beside him, and they followed Amethyst to the site of the crime.

The rain started to fall, as they finally arrived. The legionnaires quickly became looking through the place. Several minutes later, one of the legionnaires approached Amethyst.

"So, the victim was your wife?" - he asked, and Amethyst silently nod. Then, everything went just as interrogations go, until the legionnaire asked Amethyst the place of residence. After a bit of silence, he finally found the strength to tell the truth.

"Golden Street, house number 32" - Amethyst said, as legionnaire sighed with frustration.

"Very well, we'll take the body to the morgue now. You can visit it afterwards, to arrange a proper burial" - the legionnaire said, looking away.

"But... the..." - Amethyst started, but he interrupted him

"Don't worry, we'll start the investigation right away. We'll inform you when we find anything. Right now, go home and... try to relax, okay? We have it under control" - he said, showing off a fake smile. Then, after a few minutes, more legionnaires arrived, with a stretcher this time. They put Willemite's body on it, covering her with a white blanket beforehand, so the rich ponies won't get traumatized if they see a dead body, then they left, carrying her away.

Amethyst was standing in place, as the rain fell down. He knew there will be no investigation. The Legion will probably carry Willemite's body to the morgue and leave it there, forgetting everything about it. Who cares if ponies from outskirts of the city get mugged, assaulted, killed? They are dust, nopony cares about them. It's only the problems of the rich that matter.

Amethyst lowered his head, as raindrops fell on the ground. He didn't know how he will tell Sombra about this. It hurt his heart to imagine the look on his face. To lose your mother at such a young age...

There was no clear plan in Amethyst's head - only doubts and grief. Maybe it clouded his mind, maybe it didn't let him to see clear - but he made a choice, a wrong one, maybe, but it was the only one he saw right now. When all the truth does is make your heart ache, sometimes a lie is easier to take.

Finding the strength in himself, he went back home. He tried to set his mind busy by thinking of what to do next - where to find money, how to pay rent. But he couldn't concentrate, as Willemite's eyes, filled with tears, kept coming up in his mind again and again. Amethyst sighed heavily, and looked up at the darkened sky - the rain started to rage, a lighting pierced the dark sky.

Why? Why did it happen to her? Why does the faith has to take his beloved Willemite away from him? He is nothing without her. He is nothing...

* * *

"Dad.. where is mom?" - Sombra said in a voice that made Amethyst cringe with guilt.

"Sombra... mommy is... she went away for important job..." - Amethyst replied, trying to sound as sure as he could. "It will be for quite a while, and you will not see your mommy in a while... But you and me, we can take it, yeah?"

"Dad... why are you lying to me?" - Sombra asked, and those words felt like a spear right into the heart.

"I'm not lying! Adults never lie... Go to your room, Sombra" - Amethyst said, sounding strict. Sombra lowered his head and went back into his room. When he left, Amethyst felt disgusted with himself. This must be the hardest thing ever in the world - telling a lie to your son. But this has to be done, for his sake.

Amethyst went to the kitchen and looked at the special cupboard there - he and Willemite kept alcohol drinks. There weren't much of them - two bottles of wine, and two bottles of whiskey, and they were quite cheap, but they still kept them for celebrations and guest parties... except since Amethyst was banned from the college, they didn't get that much opportunity to open it.

Amethyst opened the cupboard and took a bottle of wine out of it. He opened and drank some. Now, there may never be an opportunity for him to drink. He sat down, and drank some more. It eased the pain a bit, but not by much.

They say, drinking alone is a very bad sign. But from now on, he couldn't care less. The only company he enjoyed drinking with was dead, dead with a memory of him, losing his temper and causing pain to the pony he loved.

* * *

Next day, Sombra was alone in the house. Father left for some business, he said it was important and he won't come back till the evening. He looked very sad, behaved strangely, and smelled very strange.

Sombra knew something was wrong with mother. He could feel it! That strange magical seizure that happened to him yesterday was some kind of warning. He couldn't explain, as he didn't know almost anything about magic.

Then, a bright idea came to his head - his father is teacher of magical arts. He has to have books concerning magic. Encouraged by his idea, he quickly rushed to parent's bedroom. He slowly opened the door, carefully looking around, though he knew there was nopony at home. He went to the box where father kept most of his things. Thankfully, he never locked it.

There were so many books there. Arcane magic, elemental magic, even a book on the cosmic theory. Sombra couldn't understand what that meant, but he picked it up anyway. Then, at the bottom of the box, he noticed a strange book. It was entirely black, but there were red lines on it, which looked like veins and they pulsated! This dark book quickly caught Sombra's attention - he felt some kind of energy coming out of it. But that energy didn't feel good at all - it felt heavy and metallic, and forced some kind of melancholy on him.

Sombra put it in the stack of magic books he will inspect as well, but as far away as he could. This book seemed very strange, and he didn't want to open it. Even holding it with his magic felt bad, and made his head hurt.

Sombra didn't especially enjoy reading, but he fought his inner resistance to books. His mother may be in danger - and he has to help her! And that is what he will do!

Sombra started looking through the books. He found many spells, their description and how to perform them. Most of them were too hard for Sombra to understand, but he kept on reading.

After about an hour of reading, he started to give up hope. None of the books he looked through so far hasn't explained the nature of his seizure, or had any spell that could help him find his mother. There was only one book left...

Sombra slowly pulled the black book out of the stack and put it before himself. The red veins were pulsating, and Sombra felt a bit sick from looking at this book. He really wanted to shove this book back into the box as deep as he could, but he fought it back. All that mattered to him was finding his mom.

He carefully opened the book, and saw the title - Artem Magistri de Abysso. It was written in a weird way, in the language he couldn't understand, with bright red ink. Sombra started to wonder why would father keep this book here - although black magic is not banned, only the most basic spells of it are allowed. He heard that the more advanced dark spells required sacrificing a pony.

He turned the page around, and was quite relieved to see the introduction explaining that this book contains no banned spells. It warned about the danger of using black magic and said to use it only at your own risk. Sombra took a deep breath, and prepared to look through the book - he needed to do this, for his mother.

He started to look through the pages, starting from the first one. The spells in the beginning were rather tamed, like Shadow Cloak, a spell of invincibility, but the more he continued onwards, the more twisted they became. Finally, somewhere near the end, he found the spell that could help him.

Visio Aeternae - it allowed the caster to look through the eyes of another living being. It was pretty easy to cast too - he has to gather all feelings he has for the subject and use it as energy.

Sombra took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He felt the energy surging through his veins as he concentrated on thinking only about his mother. His horn started glowing light-grey, channeling the energy through to his eyes. He slowly opened them, and for him the world started going away, as he was flying back. The room became smaller and smaller, and after a short amount of time it disappeared completely with a twinkle. Sombra was drifting in some kind of dark space - there was nothing around him except pure shadows. It started to scare him, and he wanted to say something, but he couldn't. The words were stuck in his throat, and he couldn't move his body at all.

Suddenly, the world started reappearing before his eyes. It just stretched out, pulled itself over the darkness. This made Sombra really sick and dizzy. Through all this flight through nothingness, he was able to fight back fear, but now, he couldn't just take it anymore.

But, thankfully, the world was finally in place. Sombra found himself in some kind of a library. He was looking at the shelf filled with books. Only then Sombra realized - he wasn't controlling himself. He was looking through somepony's eyes. Through his mother's eyes. This made Sombra very happy - his mother was all right. Now, he just has to figure out where she is. Suddenly, mother backed away from the shelf and sat down on the couch.

In several minutes, a voice reached Sombra. A voice he never heard before, but it seemed that mother knew who it was.

"Willemite, are you okay?"

* * *

Sombra's eyes were widely open, and were glowing with grey energy. He looked quite happy, if a bit surprised. Then, the energy started to slowly turn black. His facial expression changed - from surprise, to horror.

When you cast the spell of dark magic, you make a pact with your own soul - dark magic is powered by your most deepest feelings, be they love, hatred, or anything else. When you cast the any dark spell, you use these feelings as the energy, which theoretically, should provide the caster with the unlimited amount of energy. But at the same time, it made you vulnerable. You were draining the energy from the bottom of your very heart, your very soul.

Visio Aeternae allowed you to look through the eyes of any living being, if you had feelings were strong enough to connect with the soul. But if this being wasn't alive, the spell still worked - you were forced to see the end of this life. You were forced to see the last hours of this life - there was no way back, no way to revert the spell. You have to see it all, hear it all, everything, until the vision ends with the death.

Dark energy slowly engulfed Sombra's eyes, forcing him to watch. He struggled, tried to stop it all, but it was all in vain - he had to see everything, till the second Willemite draws her last breath. Unable to control his body, Sombra could only weakly twitch his head and tail. The dark energy crawled from his eyes to his horn, ensuring its power over him. It didn't let him blink, it didn't let him turn away - he was forced to look through his mother's eyes, look and see her suffering and death, every second of it.

"No...stop... please... stop" - he mumbled to himself, but those were only the specks of his thoughts that managed to make it through. He wanted to scream, but he couldn't. He wanted to cry, but he couldn't. He could only watch helplessly, watch the truth that scars your soul and leaves it bleeding.

Finally, the dark magic started to loosen its grip. The pure blackness started to lighten up, becoming light-grey again. Seconds later, the energy started to vanish, and Sombra was finally free of the horrible nightmare. For minutes, he just stood there, breathing heavily. Even in his deepest fears, he could not imagine that something like this would happen. Just minutes ago, he wanted to shout and scream, but now... now he just wanted to sit down and cry.

Sombra quickly put all the books back where they belonged, including the book of black magic. He didn't know what to think anymore. His soul, so young and unprepared has tasted fully the taste of the real, cruel world. World, that cares not for it children, wants to swallow you and spit you out. It broke him, broke him completely. Right now, Sombra's dreams have changed forever - from dreams of glory and happiness, they changed to dreams of seeing Star Gem's head on a spike.


	3. Love breeds evil

The snowflake slowly flew through the air, along with hundreds of her sisters. From distance they looked so alike, but each one of them was unique. There was no other snowflake like this in all of the world. The snowflakes were slowly drifting in the air, falling on the ground, forming snowdrifts.

The winter has descended on Crystal Empire, dressing the crystal houses in the white coats. The wind was blowing, making ponies, walking in the street, wrap themselves up tighter in their fur coats.

Some may think that crystal ponies should not feel cold - sometimes, they really wished they didn't. If it wasn't for Crystal Heart and its magical influence, crystal ponies would not be different from any other creature in the world.

Ah, Crystal Heart. For as long as history of Empire goes, it was always kept under great protection in the Diamond Hall. Sombra was always quite charmed by it, but, unfortunately, he only saw pictures of it at school.

Sombra was slowly slogging through the streets. The school was just in thirty minutes of walking from his house, but he still froze his hooves off when he got to the school.

Two years have passed since the nightmare that struck his family. Two years - but this still feels like a dream. You just want to wake up.

Since mom passed away, everything has changed. There were no longer happy family - there was only father, and his son. Their relationships became rather... tensioned. Without mother's support and help, Amethyst completely lost himself, and resorted to alcohol as his only savior. There wasn't a day Sombra would come home and not find him sleeping in drunk sleep on the floor. Sometimes, he met him on the street, where he begged for money he could spend on booze or gambling. Then, he had to drag him back home, listening to his screams and insults. And everypony on the street was looking straight at him - so embarrassing.

Because of father's regular games and drinking, Sombra had to go to the free school. It wasn't really that different from the paid school, but the latter are much nicer and teach you a lot more stuff.

Finally, he reached his school. It was a simple building, quite big and spacey, fitting a lot of students. Still, it wasn't anything particularly fancy - the yard was quite small, and couldn't fit all the students during the break, and there wasn't much to do - but Sombra never participated in games. They seemed childish and a waste of time for him.

Or maybe it was because other children were scared of him. A lot of rumors were spread about him, just because the color of his skin and mane was very dark - they said that he is possessed, sold his soul to some deity of darkness. What idiots! Every day they only found new idiotic stories to tie up to him. However, it did bring its benefit - he was never bullied. Who knows, maybe the bullies were afraid of him, or maybe they just didn't care - in any case, it helped in some way.

Before reaching the stairs, leading to the entrance door, he caught a glance of his reflection in the frozen puddle. He went closer and took a look.

The use of dark magic certainly left its mark upon him. Right on the next day after performing that damn spell, Sombra noticed that the color of his eyes changed - from sky blue, his pupil became dark red. So far, he managed to hide it from his father.

That reminded him - father was still resistant of telling him the truth. Despite knowing everything, he really wished that father would just drop this stupid facade and tell him the truth - but he always avoided conversations about mother. It was painful to know the truth, and yet get constantly reminded that he's not supposed to know it.

He sighed, and went up the stairs and to the entrance. The lesson starts soon, he should hurry up, or he'll miss it.

* * *

Sombra was sitting at his desk, looking at the black board, where their teacher, Mr. Fizz, was explaining some kind of mathematical problem. Half of the class were almost sleeping - this was so boring! You could be scratching the paint off the wall, and you would find it far more interesting.

Mr. Fizz had almost sky blue skin and his mane was the color of aquamarine. Maybe his parents named him Fizz because he reminded them of the ocean, or maybe because he hissed a bit when he talked.

"And that is how this problem sh-should be solved, kids. Write it down" - Mr. Fizz said, putting the chalk down. Everypony in the class quickly woke up and started writing down whatever he wrote on the board.

Everypony, except Sombra. For almost the whole lesson, he wasn't paying any attention to what Mr. Fizz was saying. Instead, he put his own copy-book over the book on mathematics. Instead of boring numbers, he was drawing pictures. Right now, they were black and white, but he didn't really have time for coloring, besides, he lacked the colored pencils.

Right now, he didn't know what he was drawing. He just put some lines on the paper, and slowly but steadfully, he formed beauty out of it. Right now, in the chaotic mess of lines, he saw a tower. Sombra eagerly started to draw every little detail of it - scratches on one side, moss on the other.

"Sombra, tell me, does-sh whatever you are doing right now have any relation to mathematics?" - Mr. Fizz said in his quite strict voice. Sombra raised his head and saw, that he was right near him.

"Um... no" - he said, slowly moving his drawing away.

"And why is-sh that? You are attending to the lesson of math, yes? It's not art class, young mister!" - Mr. Fizz said, and moved on.

Sombra sighed with relief. Mr. Fizz was a nice pony - he would, of course, scold you when needed, but he never made a big deal of it. He never liked to make a laughing-stock out of pupils, like other teachers. Some ponies in his class didn't understand that, and laughed at him behind his back. Sombra never did such a thing, and he once got in a fight because of it. Some jerk was talking shit about Mr. Fizz, some things involving his mother and gryphons, and then Sombra lost his temper. He hit the idiot right in the nose - that shut him up good. After that, though it was against his ethics, Mr. Fizz helped Sombra get out of the trouble. Several words with the principle, and he was free of all charges.

Finally, the lesson was over.

"Okay, your homework for today will be pages-sh 23 and 24. You're free to go" - Mr. Fizz said, everypony quickly wrote it down in their notes, and then started preparing for another lesson. Sombra sighed, and got the history book from his bag - now, he will be truly bored.

* * *

Finally, the third lesson was over, and it was time for lunch break. The canteen was quickly filled to the brim with pupils from every grade. Sombra quietly walked to the section where all of the second grades were having lunch. He sat down at his usual table, put his bag on it and started looking through. But, just as always, father forgot to give him his lunch money. This happened for the twelfth time already, and it seems he is going to have to endure the hunger until he gets home.

Sombra sighed, and looked around. Everypony was either eating, or waiting in the queue for their portion. Eh, if only food here was free...

"Why aren't you eating?" - a soft voice suddenly interrupted his concentration. He looked around, but couldn't seem to find the source of the voice.

"I'm here" - the voice said, giggling. Sombra turned left, and saw a young mare, his age. Her long, curly mane was the color of light amber. It really looked like a waterfall - a beautiful waterfall, reflecting specks of light. Her skin was lavender colored, and sparkled slightly in the light. Her face was very pretty, it reminded Sombra of those statues of beautiful mares the masters of old used to make. Her figure on itself looked very slick and smooth, and pleasing to the eye.

"Hello? Are you there?" - she said to him, and giggled.

"Oh... yes. Of course I am" - Sombra said, shaking his head.

"Why aren't you eating? Canteen is here for, you know, eating" - she said, and Sombra sighed.

"My dad didn't give me any lunch money. Forgot again" - he replied.

"Why won't your mom make you some sandwiches?" - she said innocently, and Sombra turned sad for a second. The horrible images, left in his mind by dark magic, were still fresh and were not going to leave any time sooner.

"My mother... she's dead" - he said, almost forcing the words out of himself.

"Oh, my... I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to.." - she gasped, and started to apologize.

"It's okay. You didn't know" - he said, and looked into the table again. He didn't know what he was going to find on it, but he just couldn't look anywhere else.

"I can share with you, if you want" - she said, placing a sandwich in front of him. Bread and butter - simple, but always tasty.

"No, you really don't have to. You're probably hungry yourself"- Sombra replied, trying to refuse gently.

"Not at all. I had a fine breakfast. Come on, have a bite" - she said, smiling. Sombra suddenly felt his face turning red - he wasn't usually that shy.

"O...okay" - he said, took the sandwich with his telekinesis and bit off a part. It tasted so good, considering what he usually was having for dinner. He couldn't help but eat it all.

"I see you liked it" - she said, and smiled.

"Yes. It's really tasty, thank you" - Sombra said, and smiled awkwardly.

"Yeah, my mother is certainly a great cook. My name is Krystal. What's your name?"

"My name's Sombra" - he replied.

"Sombra? That's an uncommon name. My parents weren't so creative when they named me" - Krystal said, and giggled.

"Actually, it's a very sweet name" - Sombra said, smiling.

"Thank you. Yours is pretty sweet too" - she said, and smiled in return. Then, she gave him another sandwich.

"I've got a lot of them. Don't be shy - they're yours" - she said, giving him three more.

This was one of the best meals Sombra had for a very long time. But, unfortunately, the time has come to go to classes yet again.

"Too bad we're in different forms. I would love to talk with you more" - she said and smiled heartily. Sombra smiled too.

"We can still meet after school" - he said. Krystal looked very pleased with that idea.

"That's great. Well, then, see you after classes" - she said, and ran away. Sombra looked towards her, and felt something warm and fuzzy in his heart. He hoped he will have a chance to get to know her better.

The rest of the classes seemed quick. Maybe it was because they were actually a bit more interesting, or maybe because Sombra was eager for them to end. In any case, the final lesson was over, and Sombra went outside. Coming out of the door, he noticed Krystal waiting nearby the stairs and bungling up in the fur coat. It look very fluffy and warm. Sombra took a deep breath and approached her.

"Hello again, Sombra" - she said, and smiled to him. By some reason Sombra really liked her smile - she looked so happy and cute when she smiled.

"Hello, Krystal. So, how's your classes?" - Sombra asked.

"Meh, not great, not bad. It's okay, I guess. So, let's go?" - she offered and he nod silently.

"Where do you live? I'll accompany you to your house, ok?" - Sombra said.

"Oh, it's not that far. Thank you so much for this offer. That's so nice of you" - she said, and went ahead of him.

"Want me to carry your bag? It looks heavy" - he offered, and her cheeks turned red.

"Oh, stop, please. You're making me blush, really" - she said, but Sombra still took her bag and put it on his back - he just felt some kind of rush, and the bag, while being quite heavy, felt like nothing.

Finally, they left the urban part of this block, and entered the park. It looked very peaceful and beautiful in winter - the snow was hanging on the trees, becoming a white coat for them. The snow was crunching under their hooves as they walked.

"Sombra, where is your coat? Did you leave it at school?" - she said in concerned voice.

"No, I just don't have it" - Sombra replied, sounding a bit confused about the question.

"Are you insane? It's really cold - you will catch a cold. Here, let me give you my fur coat" - she said, and Sombra gasped.

"Woah, woah, no, please, don't. I feel all right, I'm okay. I'm... how-do-you-say-that... frost-resistant! Yeah!" - he said, and smiled awkwardly.

"Really? Well, okay. But if you feel cold, just tell me, I'll give it you" - she replied.

The rest of the path they just talked about things - classes, other students, many other stuff. Finally they reached their destination - Krystal's house.

Sombra was baffled at how big it was - it was a gigantic mansion, with no less than four halls as its carcass, and a court inside it! The outside interior looked very fancy too, with stone gargoyles watching menacingly from under the roof, at the corners.

"Wow... This is just the biggest house I have ever saw!" - he said, gawking.

"Yeah.. my father is a politician, so he loves fancy stuff" - Krystal said.

"Wait... if you're dad so rich... why are you going to the free school?" - Sombra asked, continuing to gawk and stare.

"My mother insisted. She didn't want me to grow up as a snob. She wanted me to lean among common ponies. Father was very resistant about that idea, but mother convinced him. He just can't fight her charm" - she said and giggled. "To be fair, I was skeptical about this too. I thought there will be nopony but brutes and bullies... and they mostly were... but you are so sweet. You're really different from all of them"

"Thank you, Krystal" - Sombra said. She took a good look at him and sighed.

"I really can't look at you - I'm just starting to freeze myself. Here" - she said, and took of her scarf, and gave it to Sombra.

"Krystal, you really shouldn't..." - he said, but she just quickly wrapped the scarf around his neck. It was so fluffy, and it was still warm from her body.

"No-no-no. I gift this scarf to you, and I don't accept refusals" - she said, and smiled.

"Heh, okay then. Thank you so much" - Sombra said, still getting used to the scarf.

"All right, I've got to go now. See you tomorrow, Sombra" - she said and.. kissed him on the cheek.

In that moment, everything inside Sombra was set ablaze. Every part of his body, even his soul - set on fire. But this fire felt so... good. It was like a warm bonfire during winter. Sombra quickly turned as red as a fresh tomato.

Krystal looked at him one more time and giggled. Sombra realized that he was just standing like a complete moron, his face was red, and he was smiling like a dumbass.

"See you tomorrow, Krystal" - he said quietly as Krystal went to her house.

Today was probably the best day ever. Sombra has never felt so good before. Everything inside him was burning brightly with happiness. He happily was going through the park and everything seemed so much brighter for him. Though it became quite cold, and the only thing he was wearing was a scarf, it warmed him better than any fire in the world.

He returned home in an uplift mood. After cleaning his hooves from snow, he stood there for a bit, looking at the scarf. Though it pricked his neck a little bit, he couldn't take it off - it felt so warm, and made him all fuzzy inside. Slowly and quietly, in order not to wake up his father, who was peacefully sleeping in the kitchen, surrounded by dozens of empty bottles of some cheap ale, Sombra sneaked to his room.

He threw his bag into the corner, and jumped on his bed. His room changed drastically since he went to school - he dedicated a lot of his time to drawing, so pictures he drew were hanging on the walls. There were a lot of good drawn pictures - big castles, dragons (Sombra never saw a living dragon, so he had to look up the picture of one in the bestiary), and other magical beings.

Not far from his bed stood a desk with a chair, where he usually did his homework, drew pictures, or read books. It was old, but still sturdy. All in all, Sombra's room was small, a bit messy, but comfortable for him. Sometimes he loved just to lie in his bed and imagine. Just a year ago, he dreamed about having his mother back, and that bastard being tortured in most cruel fashion, but slowly he started to leave those thoughts behind.

Suddenly, the door opened and Amethyst burst into his room. He was barely standing, and smelled worse than some homeless bums do.

"Hi... son" - he said, stuttering and reeling from side to side. "How're ya doing at school?"

"Okay, and no, I'm not causing trouble. Please, leave my room" - Sombra said, expecting what he was going to ask.

"Okay... Wait, where did you get that scarf?" - Amethyst said, and came closer, something Sombra would like to avoid.

"I...um... found it. Lying on the street, yeah" - he replied, slowly going away from him.

"Found it, eh? It could belong to other ponies, you know. They might be crying right now, because of you. Just give it to me, and I'll pass it to them" - Amethyst said, smiling askew.

"No way! It's mine!" - Sombra shouted, surprising even himself.

"Who do you think you are, you little impudent brat?! Give the scarf to me this instance!" - Amethyst screamed in an angry voice, but that didn't scare Sombra one bit.

"No. It is mine" - he said in a harsh voice, and pressed the scarf to him harder. He already knew what father was going to do with it - he will sell it and waste the money on booze or gambling. No way in hell he'll give it away!

"You ungrateful bastard... I am your damn father! You have to obey me!" - he shouted.

"Leave alone already!" - Sombra shouted. "This is my scarf. End of story! Go away!"

Amethyst didn't reply. Instead, he hit Sombra in the face, knocking him away. He fell down on the floor, barely managing to not to crash into the wall.

"You're giving me that scarf, NOW!" - Amethyst shouted furiously.

"No" - Sombra said, rubbing the part of his face where the hit landed. Amethyst growled for a second in helpless fury, and then left, slamming the door violently behind him.

Sombra sighed heavily, and sat down on the bed. He remembered how peaceful were the days when mother was alive. They even went for a picnic once. Now, it felt like it was in the previous life, so long ago. Sombra quietly took off the scarf and put it in the safe place, where his dad would not find it - his old toy box. He wanted to get rid of the old thing, but now it proved useful yet again.

After the homework was done, the rest of the day was free for Sombra, but he wasn't happy at all - that meant he had to spend the rest of the day at home with his drunk dad. There wasn't anything interesting to do outside as well, so he sat down at his desk, took out a clean sheet of paper and a pencil, and started to draw.

* * *

"So, your homework for tomorrow is-sh... ah, you know what? No homework for tomorrow, you're all free to go" - Mr. Fizz said, and the class was filled with shouts of joy.

"But before you go, I want to inform you. Ms. Fimbriam is ill, so the class of art is cancelled for today. But, we have a special visitor-sh, from the Magic Academy. He will give you a lecture on magic"- Mr. Fizz said, sounding excited.

Everypony in the class were excited as well - magic study in the school was very basic and lacking, but ponies from Magic Academy knew it through and through. Sombra was especially excited - he loved art classes, yes, but magic always drew him in as well. He even sometimes sneaked into father's bedroom to read the books about magic.

The lesson was over, and it was time for a lunch break. Sombra quickly put all the books back in the bag and went to the canteen. To his surprise, Krystal was already there, sitting at the table, trying to perform some kind of spell, as her horn was glowing with the energy the same color as her skin. Sombra quietly sat down near her, and started to observe.

Krystal was holding a copy-book in the air with her magic. The copy-book was all wet, as water was dripping from it. She carefully manipulated energetic flows, trying to heat the air around the copy-book in order to dry it. However, she did something wrong, and a spark jumped out of nowhere and disappeared. Krystal threw the copy-book on the table in frustration.

"Hi, Krystal. What are you doing?" - Sombra asked.

"Oh, hello, Sombra. I was just trying to save my mathematical project, but it's all in vain" - she said in a rather frustrated voice. "I worked on it for weeks, and just now I dropped a glass of water on it. Ugh, damn it!"

"Can I try?" - Sombra offered and Krystal sighed.

"I don't see why not" - she replied, and Sombra carefully picked the copy-book up. It was almost completely soaked in water, but he knew a way. His horn started to glow with light-grey energy, as he tried to control the particles of water that were overflowing the paper. Slowly but steadfully, he drained the unnecessary water from the paper, leaving it completely dry. Then, he carefully moved the sphere of water over the cup, and let it fall into it.

"Wow! That was awesome" - Krystal said, as she looked through her copy-book. Everything was intact, every number and letter.

"Thank you so much. I've been working on this project for so long, and if it wasn't for you, it would have been ruined" - she said happily.

"Glad to help" - Sombra said, and smiled. He was glad to help her. Something inside made him want to see Krystal happy all the time.

They were sitting together, peacefully enjoying their lunch. Through all this time, Sombra kept looking at Krystal. He wondered - will she want to become friends with him? He was just a common boy, from a low born family. Her father was a politician and very rich. Sombra gathered all the courage he had.

"Listen, Krystal... would you like to... um... well... take a walk together in the park sometimes and all..." - he said, stuttering. She raised her head and looked at him.

"Hmm, that sounds like a good idea" - she said, and Sombra sighed in relief. "You're seem really fun"

"Thank you... You're really fun too" - Sombra replied awkwardly, and that made her giggle.

"He-he-he... sorry, I just like the way you said that. Sounded so funny" - she said, giggling.

"Yeah... I have a tendency to say things awkwardly... I'm not that charismatic, you know" - he said calmly.

"Don't say that. You're very charismatic. In fact, you're the only boy I actually had a normal conversation with" - she said, trying to cheer him up.

"Really? What, other's don't want to speak?"

"No. They just pick at me all the time, because I'm.. you know... a girl" - she said, and Sombra sneered.

"What idiots" - he said, and Krystal nod.

"Oh, I'm having a math class soon. See you after school" - she said, and smiled to him, while going away.

Sombra got up, stretched his back a little bit, and went to the magic lecture. It was promising to be very fun.

* * *

The lecture was to be conducted in the special classroom - it was wider than any other, and shelves all across it housed at least hundreds of ingredients, needed for all kinds of spells. Under the ceiling a chandelier was hanging, with crystals that radiated blue light - such kind of lighting made this room look a bit more creepy and magical.

Just in several minutes, pupils sat down at their respective places, expecting the lecturer to arrive. Mr. Fizz sat down near the exit as well, in order to keep the class calm, if needed.

Five minutes have passed, and the lecturer hasn't appeared yet. Children started to get a bit bored. Somepony decided to play 'battleship', somepony decided to take a quick nap, two friends decided to play chess. Sombra, in order to kill time, decided to check out the various ingredients in the class.

There were all kinds of feathers, wings, claws and other stuff. There was even a dragon claw, used for golem-crafting - in order to breathe life into the golem, you need such a claw. There was also a strange plant, called Poison Joke. Anypony to breathe in its pollen will have strange things happen to them - harmless, but hilarious. Though it was unknown how the plant manages to affect those parts of body that are needed most for a pony - was it self-aware or it is just pure coincidence, that whenever a politician gets affected, he loses any ability to lie? That was still a mystery.

Suddenly, he saw a strange whirling in the corner of the room. Just in seconds, a pony appeared out of nowhere with a puff of smoke. He was dressed in a suit, wore elegant glasses and had a small hat. His mane was light-grey, and his skin was shimmering ivory. He carefully adjusted his glasses.

"Sorry, I'm a bit late" - he apologized, and went to the podium in front of the class. While on his way, he noticed two ponies playing chess. He stopped there, looked at the chessboard for a second, then made one move with a queen.

"Yup, my friend. Sorry, you lose" - he said to the pupil, who was winning almost through all the game.

The unicorn reached the podium, and rubbed his hooves together.

"All right, my little ponies, what do should we start with, hmm? Oh, how about a little demonstration, so you would get an idea what types of magic we're dealing with here" - he said, and clapped his hooves together two times, and out of nowhere a big piece of cloth appeared beside him in the air.

"Let's start with things you all know and love - arcane magic. Most basic magic ever known to crystal ponies - almost every toddler knows how to cast it. You won't be interested in basic morphing and teleportation, now will you? Let's make it more interesting" - he said, and his horn started glowing. The cloth slowly started to move, forming some kind of figure. In several seconds, it disappeared in a flash of energy, then reappeared... but instead of cloth, it was something alive... a baby dragon!

The dragon opened its eyes, and slowly stretched out, puffing smoke out of his nose. Whole class was amazed.

"Yes, yes, a baby dragon" - the unicorn said, then suddenly stomped in the ground. The dragon flew up in the air and quickly turned into a piece of cloth.

"My friends, you fell for the oldest trick in magical science - illusion. I used to prank my teachers so much with this" - he said, and a few laughs flew through the class.

"Now, let's show you something more advanced - element magic. Fire, water, wing, earth - your basic elements of creation. With them, you can make all kinds of interesting reactions. How about this one?" - he said, and his horn suddenly started to pulsate with electricity. He charged it for a bit, then fired the bolt of lightning right at the crystals in the corner of the room. The crystals consumed it, and started glowing. The pupils were amazed, and almost started clapping, when suddenly the crystals flickered with white energy and unleashed a blast right back at the lecturer. He didn't even flinch as he caught it in a special bottle and corked it.

"My friends - pure energy, right here" - he said, showing the bottle, where the pure white energy was raging and trying to get out. The whole class was filled with applauds seconds later.

"Thank you, thank you!" - he said and bowed to the audience. So far, this wasn't as much as a lecture, but a show. He showed others types of magic - and for each, he demonstrated some kind of an awesome trick. Each made the audience gawk in amazement, or laugh.

"Now, I will show you a bit of... other magic. We don't talk about this magic very much at Magic Academy, and you will definitely not hear about it at school. The dark magic" - he said, sounding mysterious. The whole class gasped in unbelief. Sombra started fidgeting in his seat - this won't be pleasant.

"Now, behold, as I delve into the very depths of HELL!" - he shouted loudly as he flew up in the air and started glowing with black energy. The air started crackling and charges of electricity started going through him.

Sombra however, wasn't fazed. He couldn't feel anything from the lecturer - he felt absolutely all right, unlike the dark book he read two years ago. This wasn't dark magic - it felt more like arcane. But everypony else bought it.

The lecturer finished this strange ritual and landed back on the ground. Everypony started applauding to him, except Sombra. He noticed that, and casted an interested glare at him.

"May I ask you, fine sir, what didn't impress you in the dark ritual I just conducted?" - he said in a suave voice. Sombra was startled a bit - did he offend him? Did he do something wrong?

"Um... no... everything was impressive" - he said, as his voice was trembling a bit.

"No-no, spill your mind, tell us the truth, enlighten us - do you know something that I don't?" - he said, staring right at him. All pupils quickly drew their attention to Sombra, who was slowly turning red.

"It... it wasn't dark magic... no offence, sir" - he said quietly, and the lecturer smiled.

"Interesting. Veeery interesting. Could you come out here, young sir, please?" - he said, and Sombra slowly walked to the podium, as everypony was staring at him, some even giggled a bit.

When Sombra got up on the podium, he expected to be humiliated, but, suddenly, the lecturer approached him and put his hoof on Sombra's shoulder, as if trying to calm him down.

"This young pony is absolutely right - that wasn't even close to dark magic. All I did was use the arcane to color my energy different, then flew up in the air and then a little bit of elemental magic" - he said, smiling. "Unfortunately, I cannot show you the dark magic, for it is very, very dangerous. Even the spells that are not banned, can cause tremendous damage to the caster, both physically and psychically. When you grow up, and, maybe, go to the Magic Academy, you will learn a few dark spells, but only the basics and most, relatively speaking, harmless ones" - he said, and everypony looked at Sombra, this time with some approval. "And now, I would like our young expert to take a seat, and so that we all can write down some interesting facts about magic"

* * *

The lecture was over, and it was time to go home. Ponies gathered their things and prepared to leave. So did Sombra, who was eager to meet up with Krystal.

Just as he was going through the corridor, he was pulled into storeroom. The door closed behind him on locks. Sombra quickly looked around, seeking for potential enemy, but he only saw the lecturer, professor from Magic Academy, adjusting his hat.

"Could you please expla..." - Sombra said, but he quickly interrupted him.

"Boy, I don't know you needed to cast the dark spell. I honestly don't even care" - he said, looking precisely at Sombra.

"What? How do you know?" - he said, and backed away.

"Don't make me laugh, boy-o. You've got the Brand of the Heretic" - the professor said, and pointed right at him. Sombra looked at him with incomprehension in his eyes.

"Ugh, the eyes! Only those, who ever casted a dark spell successfully have these eyes. Don't worry about the name, though. It's just stuck since the old times"

"So, you're going to tell everypony?"

"Boy, I don't know you, you don't know me. Maybe you used the dark magic to save a pony, I don't know. It doesn't really matter. What matters is that dark magic is not easy to cast" - he said, and came closer to Sombra. "You've got to have at least several years of study before performing even an easy spell. At least, we believed so. Now, there comes you, a boy from the second grade who managed to pull it off. How old were you when you casted it?"

"Six... Six, I think" - Sombra said quietly, and the professor almost fell down from shock.

"Excuse my language, boy, but... holy shit! Six?! SIX?! You aren't kidding. By the Emperor, this is amazing" - he said, coming closer to Sombra. Then, he started to look all around him, inspecting ears, mouth and teeth.

"Hmm, no signs of mutation" - he bumbled, which scared Sombra a bit. Then, he inspected his horn, looking through and through.

"No... this is obviously not a sign of some mutation or evolution. It seemed you are just that lucky" - he said, finishing his inspections. "Damn, if only there was a way to ensure that your skills will stay on the sufficient level ... Listen, do you like reading?"

"Well, yes. I do enjoy reading a book or two" - Sombra replied, still unsure of what this strange unicorn's intentions were.

"I'm going to send you books. As much books as I can find on magic. A talent such as yours must not be wasted. I'll pass them through your teacher. Always remember to practice, always stay sharp" - he said, and looked around. "Because soon, when you grow up, you will change this Empire...maybe even the world!"

Then, after he was done speaking, professor teleported away. Sombra was confused and scared. He will change the world? How? When? Why? Right now, it all seemed like insanity. But he felt that he will find exactly what it is - sooner or later. Right now, he has other things to worry about.

* * *

Sombra and Krystal were walking together through the park, towards Krystal's house. The snow was dancing around them in the air, distracting them from the road, just to see and talk about the beauty of the winter.

"So, how did the lecture on magic go? Did you like it?" - Krystal asked, catching a snowflake on her hoof.

"Yes, it was pretty fun, if a bit strange" - Sombra replied, looking at the sky. It was completely covered in clouds, that were dropping snow down on the world.

"Glad you liked it. Learning is twice faster when you like it" - she said, and blew the snowflake away, before it melted. "So, it's day-off tomorrow. Want to take a walk together in the morning or evening?"

"Yes, of course. I would love to" - Sombra answered immediately. "Where will we meet?"

"Oh, I don't know. You make the call - I'm not that good at picking places" - Krystal replied. Sombra was lost in thoughts for a minute.

"How about... right here? I know a really sweet place here in the park - it's on the top of that hill" - he said, and pointed towards a big hill with a summer house on top.

"Oh, that looks very nice. All right, so it's tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Okay" - Sombra said. Krystal smiled at him, and ran further into the park, catching the snowflakes.

"Ah, I always adored winter. Despite cold and wind, I love it! The snow is sift and fluffy, and this beautiful feeling when you are sitting near the fireplace, all warm, and it's snowing outside, maybe even blizzard, and you're just sitting there, with a warm cup of tea" - Krystal said, whirling along with snowflakes. Sombra painfully remembered the last winter - while his father was in relatively warm gambling den, he lurked in the corners, created little houses out of pillows, trying to stay warm. That winter, he caught a cold so many times, he almost forgot how to breathe through his nose.

"I haven't had that good relationship with the winter, to be fair" - he said, kicking snow from the ground.

"That's bad. Winter is a beautiful time of year, you just have to look"

"It's not easy to look, when you are trying to stay warm and alive" - he said, coming closer to her.

"Oh... sorry. I didn't know you had these kind of problems" - Krystal said, and approached him. "But maybe now, I can show you how beautiful winter can really be"

Then, she came really close to him and moved his head towards the ground. She started to draw different things on the snow, like birds and what seemed to be a pony.

"You see! You can draw on the snow! How cool is that? Or even better.." - she said, as she jumped into the pile of snow. She emerged from it, with her mane and face almost completely white.

"Come on, jump in! It's more fun than you think" - she said, and delved into the snow again. Sombra sighed, took a step back then ran and jumped right into the snow.

He immediately felt himself like submerged into cold water. The snow was getting everywhere - behind his scarf, ears and into eyes. He slowly got up, unleashing a fountain of snow as he rose.

"Ah! Oh my, that felt like I just jumped into a ice-hole!" - he said, and suddenly Krystal jumped at his back and pinned him down into the snow. She quickly jumped off him and ran away, laughing.

"Oh, now it's on!" - Sombra said, quickly got up and ran after her, intending to put her face into the snow. "Oh, you're going down!"

They played like this for quite a while. After each of them have had their face imprinted in the snow at least seven times, they finally decided to stop. They both felt quite cold, and the time was drawing to evening. However, all throughout this time, they were laughing and really enjoying themselves.

"I see you're starting to like winter now" - Krystal said, flicking the snow off her mane.

"Oh, hell yeah! That was awesome!" - Sombra said. "Have you seen how I dodged when you tried to attack me?"

"Oh, yes, I did. I would have knocked you down, but instead..."

"Got yourself a face full of snow!"

"Ha-ha, oh, shut up!" - she said and bumped him in the shoulder, and they both laughed.

It has been a long time since Sombra had so much fun in winter. Usually, he was always looking for a place warm enough. Now, staying warm was just a matter of time - you just have fun, the warmth will come in time!

* * *

The day was bright and the air was fresh and pure - the summer was at its peak. The birds peacefully chirping and singing their songs, the insects were buzzing through the air, hunting for blooming flowers.

Crystal ponies were peacefully traversing the streets of Crystal City, going for their business. Some were hurrying for work, some were just slacking off - that's the least you could do at such a good day.

Sombra was lying in the shade of the big oak tree in the park, reading a book. It was titled Nature Magic and its effects. That weird professor did hold his promise, gifting Sombra tons of books on all kinds of magic, including dark. His thoughts, however, were not about magic.

Five years have passed since he first met Krystal. Oh, damn, five years. So much time have passed - it's crazy. They became best friends for all this time - there hasn't been a day when they haven't meet up and did something together. They were pretty happy with this kind of relationship, but... Sombra started to feel different towards Krystal with each passing day. He felt that his feelings towards her were far more complex than friendship.

She started to become a pony that is more dearer than a friend, a pony you want to spend your whole life with. Whenever she was around, Sombra felt himself much better. Something bright and happy inside him made him going - and it didn't matter how bad things seemed, he didn't want to give up, just because of her.

There were many reasons to give up however. His relationships with father only became worse. They haven't talked with each other at all, only with Amethyst sometimes dropping a glare full of sorrow on Sombra. He didn't pay attention to that, as he knew that most of these glares are just alcohol induced illusions. They became complete strangers to each other. There were rare moments when Amethyst was quite sober, and tried to ask Sombra about something, tried to talk to him, but Sombra didn't trust him anymore. He even stopped calling him father - as he grew up, he realized just how far Amethyst sunk. How fast he exchanged his own life for existence in the illusions induced by alcohol and self-pity, and that made him sick. He could not stand being near him, even when he was calm.

That made every day spent with Krystal even more pleasing. Their conversations on various topics, their strolls through park, their innocent games. It was baffling just on how many topics you could talk with Krystal - she, of course, had preferences, but she will always try to support a dialogue, whatever's the topic.

That reminded him - they are supposed to meet in the park this evening. Sombra decided to gather up all his courage and make this evening truly special - for her, and for him.

* * *

Krystal was making her way through the park. The red disk of the sun was slowly descending, letting the world to see the beauty of the sunset. The air was cool and fresh, a nice change from the rather hot windless day.

Sombra met her in the street today, and asked her to come to the summer house in the garden that was standing on the top of the hill in the centre. He also asked her to come a little bit later, which was strange. Maybe he's just decided to make her a surprise, like a cake or something. Though it was still unclear to her why he wanted to meet near the summer house - the place did looked amazing at this time, but there wasn't much to do.

Sombra also behaved quite strange - he was stuttering and turned all red, like they just met for the first time. There was certainly some surprise going on - and the more Krystal thought about it, the more she wanted to get to the place, to finally find out.

Finally, the road leading to the top of the hill was in front of her. Thy road shalt lead thee to great deeds, she remembered the lines from an ancient epic story she once read. She smiled to herself, and followed the paved road going uphill. However, in some sense, this road was leading her to her destiny.

Finally, Krystal reached the summer house, and was quite surprised by what she saw. Not far from the summer house there was a colorful sheet of cloth on the ground. On it stood all kinds of food - she saw all of them in the cafe, in the rich quarters of the city. In the middle there was a dish with candles on it - they were all lit and slowly burned. Sombra was standing near this improvised 'table', he was unusually far more soigné than usual. His mane was carefully combed and brushed, though in several places his hair sticking out, showing that he probably tried to comb his mane himself.

"Wow, Sombra... did you arrange all of this yourself?" - she said, coming close to him. "This really looks so beautiful! And the scenery!"

She looked towards the sun, and the light befell her pretty face, as the wind blew from behind, making her mane flutter. Sombra looked at her, and couldn't take away his eyes - she looks so beautiful.

"Ah, I've never seen the sunset so up close. It's... even more beautiful than I imagined" - Krystal said and turned to him.

"Yeah... it pales in comparison to you, however..." - Sombra said in a dreamy voice.

"Thank you, that's very sweet. You do know how to make a compliment" - she said, smiling.

"Krystal, I've been thinking a lot... about you and me and... well... I've come to conclusion..." - Sombra said, suddenly starting to stutter. Oh, emotions, you're always know the best time to ruin the moment.

"What conclusion?" - she said, moving closer to him.

"I... I..."- Sombra said, as worry clenched his throat. He could not utter a single word. He could just look at her, as feelings overflowed his heart.

"I'm listening" - Krystal said, smiling. This smile was brighter than any sun, than any fire.

This was the very moment when the cold mind and logic step back, and the heart takes the full control. At that very moment, his heart wanted only one thing.

He forward, towards her, and enclosed her in a hug. Before she could say anything (and she did look pretty surprised), Sombra kissed her. He didn't know how to do it properly, because his teacher was a romance novel, but he tried as hard as he could.

They stood there for at least a minute. The red sun was pouring its light upon them, and the butterflies started flying near them. Finally, Sombra let her go. He was red as a fresh tomato, and started laughing nervously.

"He-he... sorry... I just wanted to say that..." - he stuttered as before. "I... I love you, Krystal"

He looked at her, trying to guess how she will react. Krystal looked at him, right in the eyes, with tenderness.

"He-he... I was wondering when you would tell me" - she said.

"Wha...what do you mean?" - Sombra replied, and Krystal giggled.

"Sombra, we girls have a knack for telling when people are in love. I'm really bad at this though... but I am glad that I wasn't wrong about you" - she said and kissed him. "I love you too"

It felt so good, to be open to another pony, to know that you can trust her. Trust her with your life, your very soul - and she will never betray you, never hurt you. It felt so good to have a second part of your soul. They were sitting together in each other's embraces, looking at the sunset.

"Sombra... tell me, is this forever?" - Krystal suddenly asked. "Is this.. really forever?"

"What do you mean?"

"Our love... It's just that I heard a lot of stories, that love will disappear over time"

"Maybe it does happen with others... But I promise that, no matter what, I will always love you... Till the end of days"

"Then... I will always be yours... No matter what... till the end of days"

The sun was slowly coming down, and the day was coming to an end, but they didn't go home. They were sitting together, embracing every second, dreaming of the happy future. However, several thoughts crossing Sombra's mind - he trusted Krystal, he knew that she will accept him no matter from where he comes... but her parents...

The same thoughts were on Krystal's mind as well. She knew that Sombra was not from the rich family, and the reaction of her parents, especially her father, bothered her greatly.

"Sombra, what do you think about parents? What will they say? Mine will not be happy, I can tell for sure. What do you think yours will say?"

Sombra turned grim, as his thoughts turned to his father. What would he say? Nothing good, that's what.

"My parent... heh... I don't know. Maybe we shouldn't tell them just yet. Maybe we should wait"

"Yes.. I agree. We'll tell them later, when they are ready" - Krystal replied, and they ceased talking about this for the time being. They just continued to enjoy this moment while it lasted.

* * *

Sombra returned home quite late. He escorted Krystal to her house, and, as he was making his way back home, the night swallowed the sky. He was hoping that father was sleeping - it would save him a lot of trouble. He carefully opened the door, and looked inside. He heard a loud snoring - that meant good news. Sombra quickly got inside, closed the door behind him and went to his bedroom. However, he didn't feel sleepy at all - this day gave him some kind of a rush, an adrenaline burst. Sleep wasn't an option - so he reached for his magic books. Nature magic, elemental, arcane - all seemed a little dull now. Then, he stumbled upon Artem Magistri de Abysso. The book, just like the one he read back when he was little. While it really seemed like a bad idea, he started reading it. Now, it felt very different from the first time he read this - this heavy pressure was gone, the book didn't seem that dangerous at all. All the spells inside now seemed much less hellish and evil. Maybe it was that Sombra was much older, or that he just got used to evil.

He found a very interesting spell - Hasta Odium. It concentrated and solidified energy, using it as a weapon. Kinda like making a spear out of thin air, then throwing it. He decided to try it out.

He put a glass nearby, and started concentrating the energy in the air before his horn. He tried to make it as weak as possible, for obvious reasons. As he tried to throw it, the energy disappeared into thin air, leaving a patch of smoke in the air.

"Hmm, interesting" - Sombra said to himself. It seems that the memories of a spilt milk during the breakfast were not enough food for this dark magic. He surfed through his memories, trying to find one not painful but not too harmless too. He picked one time when he was humiliated in front of the whole class. As he prepared to concentrate the energy at his horn, he remembered every single second of that moment. The energy started to darken, and become more concentrated.

"Aha! Got you!" - he said, preparing to throw the blast. He moved a bit forward, manipulating the matter into moving forward. The darkened bolt flew into the cup, and completely destroyed it. Sombra barely managed to dodge pieces of glass that flew all over the place.

Wow! This magic was twice as powerful as any spell he casted before. Trying to break the cup with arcane magic would have took him at least two minutes. Here, it took him half a second. The amount of energy this blast contained was baffling. However, Sombra felt perfectly in control when casting it - so different from elemental magic, where fire could get out of control at any second. Darkness was tame, obedient and powerful at the same time. Astonishing! Sombra decided to practice a few more times - though this time he picked a more sturdy target.

* * *

Amethyst was walking through the streets, reeling from side to side. The alcohol was slowly reaching his brain, causing the world to blur even more than it already did. It also helped to shut the never ending guilt in his heart. This guilt was eating him for the past years, and it didn't matter how much he prayed, how much he drank - it still came back afterwards, to haunt him again.

After Willemite's demise, he could not find himself a quiet corner. Everywhere he looked he saw her - looking at him, with shame and disapproval in her eyes. That was his worst fear when she was still alive. Though, this was to be expected - his life has turned into a complete nightmare anyway.

Maybe it would be better to move somewhere else, away from this big noisy city, into the country side, maybe some little village, marry some pretty sweetheart and live a happy life? But 'happy' was nothing but a word he would dream about.

He was down on his luck, too. The owner of the gambling den even forgave him his debts - he looked that miserable. Even the gangs on the streets of the outer city ignored him - they knew there was nothing they could get from him.

There was no point to his life anymore - all that was left was pain and suffering, dreams of better life and memories of happy days.

Alcohol led Amethyst astray from his path, and he found himself in the park. As he passed by ponies, peacefully walking through the park, he noticed their disgusted glares at him. They looked at him, and probably thought to themselves: "What a lowlife! What is he doing in such a place? Just ruining the atmosphere with his smell! Yuck!". Amethyst knew exactly what these bastards thought! But what would they know about pain and suffering?! How the hell do they think they are to judge him?!

Somehow, he managed to make his way to the fountain without vomiting once. He leaned over the stone obstruction and submerged his head into the cold water. It refreshed him a little bit, and the pain in his head and stomach were weakened a bit.

He turned his head to the left, and noticed a familiar face in the distance. He looked closely, and realized that it was Sombra. He was taking a peaceful walk around the park, accompanied by some girl. Amethyst decided to follow them, trying to stay hidden as hard as he could. It was quite easy, as the two were more concerned with each other than looking around. Amethyst managed to hide in the bush, not far from them, so he could overhear their conversation.

"What do you think our wedding would be like?" - Krystal said, looking dreamily up in the sky. Sombra smiled.

"It will be the best wedding in the whole Empire, I'll see to that"- Sombra said, sounding very sure.

"I am not doubting that, silly" - she said, and kissed him. "I know that you will always make the best wedding. I meant, what would it be like in details"

"Oh, I don't know. I haven't thought too much about it yet"

Then they stood silent for a second.

"You know, for all the years we knew each other, I haven't seen your house even once. Will you ever show me it?" - Krystal asked.

Sombra stumbled for a second. That came out of nowhere. He knew Krystal will be okay with his poverty, but his father... the idea of Krystal, his beloved, seeing the wreck that his father is... it horrified him.

"Sorry, Krystal, I don't think it will happen... you see... my dad is a very... difficult person. I doubt you will look at me the same way if you see him..." - he said, and Amethyst felt a horrible pain in his heart. This pain was even more powerful that the old one - his own son... was ashamed of him. This very thought enraged Amethyst. This little brat, how dares he?! He really wanted to come out and chew him out right in front of this broad he seems to be dating, but he couldn't bring himself to it. As his anger grew, he turned back and went home. He will definitely teach Sombra a lesson when he gets home!

* * *

"What do you mean? I would always look the same way on you - like this" - Krystal said and looked at him with her wide open eyes, filled with love and care.

"I know, but... I really can't... We really shouldn't tell my dad. He has a very short temper" - Sombra replied.

"My father is short-tempered too. He likes to shout a lot, you know"

"No, my dad is REALLY a difficult character, I tell you"

"How difficult?" - Krystal continued to bomb him with questions.

"He hit mom, back when she was alive. That difficult" - Sombra said surprisingly rudely, as nerves got to him. He looked at Krystal's terrified face and sighed.

"Sorry, I didn't want to shout... I'm just..."

"No, I should be sorry. I keep pestering you with questions, while you bear such a burden on your heart. I'm really sorry - let's pretend I never asked, okay?"

"Okay. Sounds like a good idea" - Sombra replied. "What about your parents?"

"My mother will probably be okay, but my dad surely won't. It will take time to convince him"

"We have time. We shouldn't take it too fast. Besides, meeting in secret is kinda romantic"

"Yeah, I agree with you" - Krystal replied and they smiled to each other. Right now, they will enjoy these moments of youth while they last. Their whole life is ahead - there will be plenty of time.

They spent some more time with each other, then went home - it was still day, so Krystal didn't need any escort. Sombra went home happy.

He opened the door and came in, cleaning his hooves on the rug. Amethyst seemed to be sitting in the kitchen, drinking. As usual. Sombra wanted to head to his room, when suddenly his dad called for him.

"Hey, Sombra, could come here for a second? I need to talk to you seriously"

Sombra sighed - what again? What more does he want from him? He quickly came into the kitchen and the disgusting smell of alcohol hit him right in the nose. Enduring the smell, he came to the table and sat down against his father.

"So, what is it you want to talk about?" - he asked. Amethyst didn't reply, he just drank what was left in the bottle, then suddenly hit it so hard against the table it flew into little pieces.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" - he screamed at the top of his lungs. "A king? A god?!"

"What are you talking about?" - Sombra said, backing away from this madman.

"I wasted so many years of my life on you, and this is how you repay me?! I worked my damn flank off to get you fed, and this is how you repay me?!" - he shouted in anger. "You FUCKING ungrateful bastard!"

Sombra didn't reply, he just slowly backed away.

"And now, you are humiliating me in front of other ponies! Not only you don't care for me, you apparently hate me!"

"Just what the hell are you talking about? I never humiliated you!"

"Don't you lie to me, you fucking piece of shit! I know that you're dating some broad!"

A cold anger filled Sombra's heart. He knows about Krystal? And how dares he to call her that?!

"Don't you dare call her like that! I love her!"

"Oh, what a surprise! You love her! Oh my, oh my!" - Amethyst continued to shout. "I heard your talk with her this day - oh, what a difficult person I am! I don't even know what other lies about me you told her"

"I didn't tell her any lies, I swear"

"Bullshit! Now, this will be the main topic of her chatter with friends - my coltfriend's father is a complete asshole! He-he-ha-ha!"

"Stop it! She's not like that!"

"Oh, she is! Believe me, she is! She is nothing but poisonous words and trash! Nothing! They're all like that" - Amethyst shouted. "She's probably sleeping with some rich kid, and you're just an innocent fun for her"

"SHUT YOUR FUCKING FACE!" - Sombra growled at him, which shocked Amethyst greatly. He never talked this rude with him.

"If you say anything like this about her, I will kill you!" - Sombra continued to shout. "She is the best pony in the world. She loves me, I love her! You're nothing compared to her! In fact, you're nothing to me! NOTHING! Go ahead and beat me up, I don't fucking care!"

Amethyst stood still, looking at his son. He couldn't believe his ears.

"Go ahead! Hit me!" - Sombra shouted, his eyes were full of hatred. "So? No? Too scared? Thought so!"

After those words, he left the kitchen slamming the door loudly behind him.

Amethyst stood there, looking at the wall. His own son renounced him. His own son! He couldn't believe this could happen. After all he has done for him, after all the good he made for Sombra - this is what he gets.

Amethyst sat down on the chair and opened another bottle of ale - looks like this is another pain he'll have to put up with.

* * *

Sombra closed the door to his room, and lied down on the bed. He knew that it would eventually happen. His father may be a drunk, but he is not dumb.

Sombra thought about what he said. Was it really how he thought about his father, or was it just his anger speaking? Right now, he couldn't tell for sure.

As anger disappeared, Sombra quickly fell asleep. He hoped that, maybe, in some distant future, he and his father will finally come to peace with each other... Right now, you'll have to deal with what you have.

* * *

"One, two, three!" - Sombra shouted, and Krystal blew the candles out and laughed, like a child. She had a reason to be happy - birthday is the day when fun is a must have.

"Did you make a wish?" - Sombra said, approaching her, and Krystal nod.

The summer house, the hill - nothing changed for years. The place was still beautiful, and quite fitting to celebrate Krystal's seventeenth birthday.

"What kind of wish?" - Sombra asked.

"Oh-ho-ho. I'm not telling you, it might not get fulfilled" - she said in a happy voice.

"Ha-ha, okay then. Now, for the best part" - Sombra said, and went outside the to fetch the present he prepared for her - it was a beautiful bouquet of roses, he gathered them in the park for days, picking only the most beautiful ones. And now, it was finally complete.

"Here!" - he said, and presented the bouquet to Krystal. She squeaked in joy.

"Oh, by Sun, it's so beautiful! Thank you!" - she shouted and hugged Sombra.

"Everything for you, my love" - he replied smiling.

"They smell so great" - she said, and sniffed the flowers. "I'll put them on the most visible place in my room!"

"I'll be very happy if you do that" - Sombra said.

It felt good to finally approach the world of adults, at least a little bit. With every birthday, you take a small step towards this world - world of opportunities and growth, where you can be anypony you desire.

"So... do you think it's time?... I mean, to tell everything" - Krystal said to Sombra, and he sighed. As much as he didn't like that idea, he knew that they can't wait any longer. There was plenty of time to prepare, now, they have to act.

"I don't think there will ever be time... But do we have a choice? We'll have to tell one day. Might as well be today" - Sombra replied.

"Yeah... besides, today is my birthday... so why not?" - Krystal said, and Sombra hugged her.

"Let's hope everything will be all right"

"Everything will be all right. I promise you that"

Together, they enjoyed the birthday cake. It was quite tasty - Sombra saved up for a long time. He had to tone down his rations, sell many of his old toys and fantasy books, so they would have fun together. But it was worth it.

* * *

Krystal slowly opened the door and entered. The hall was bright as always, lit by hundreds of candles, hanging above on the candelabra. The red carpet under her hooves was coming till the entrance to the guest room, which was even larger. In the guest room, all the couches were standing near the fire-place, a gigantic stone structure, which Krystal always compared to a dragon lair.

The house felt a bit empty, with no servants around, as they all went for some lunch. Her parents would probably be in the dining room as well. Krystal was about to go there, when suddenly father and mother came right into the room.

"Krystal! Finally! We've been expecting you" - her father, a big maroon colored unicorn with red mane, said. "Where have you been for so long?"

"Actually, I was going to talk about that. Dad, I need to seriously talk with you" - Krystal said, but it seems that her father just skipped that.

"Well, since you're here, I'd like to tell you some great news. Come along" - he said and went somewhere. Krystal sighed and followed him - sometimes her father just doesn't want to hear.

They arrived to the living room, where they usually spend time together or just had a family chat. Her mother, a white pony with cream colored mane, was sitting on the couch, reading a book. When she noticed her husband and daughter coming in, she quickly dropped it and went to meet them.

"Hello, sweetheart. How did your birthday go?" - she said, hugging her daughter.

"It was fun. Mom, dad, I really need to talk to you" - Krystal said, but father interrupted her before she could start.

"Not before you'll get our present. So, are you ready, dear?" - he said to his wife, and they winkled to each other.

"You're getting married!" - they said in a chorus. Then they just stood there, expecting a happy reaction from Krystal. Her reaction was entirely different.

"W...W...What?" - she said, as her jaw almost dropped. Married? How? When? Why? Who?

"Yes, that's right. Today, my good friend from the palace has contacted me, and informed me that his son is looking for a bride. He also informed me that he laid his eyes on you, and all in all, he wants to marry you" - her father said with unconcealed pride.

"What are you talking about? Married?" - Krystal said, as she couldn't believe her ears.

"Dear, aren't you happy? It's every girl's dream - to marry a royalty" - mother aided her husband.

"Besides, it will greatly improve your position. And ours! So, what did you want to talk about, dear?"

"I have a loved one already!" - Krystal shouted.

"Oh... who is he?" - her father said, sounding a bit disappointed.

"Not a royalty. He is from the poor family, but I don't care about his wealth! I care about him!"

"Ha-ha-ha... dear, that's not funny" - father said, laughing nervously.

"I know, because it's the truth. I already have a pony that I love, and I will marry him and only him!"

"Are you kidding me?! He's a royalty, Krystal! You're going to trade him for some rabble?" - her father shouted, but mother quickly tried to calm him down.

"Listen, dear. You'll have to understand - you are of high-class, and this boy you're talking about isn't. There is just no way you can be together - you're like sun and earth" - mother said, coming closer to Krystal.

"Mom, just don't try this on me. I'm not a dumb girl anymore"

"Well, judging by your actions you clearly are! All right, let's ignore the fact that you hobnob with rabble, that's forgivable - just tell him that you can't be together, yata-yata-yata. You know how it goes" - father offered, and mother nod to that idea.

Everything was falling apart. Krystal knew her parents will not back down. She needed some heavy arguments to convince them to accept Sombra. Something undeniable and strong. In that moment, she didn't have any bright ideas but one.

"I can't do that!... I'm... I'm... pregnant!" - she shouted. "Yes! We spent a night together and I'm carry his child!"

She didn't have any other ideas. What other argument could she come up with? There was no way out of this, and Krystal decided this would convince her parents, even if they didn't want that.

"You... did what?!" - father said, his eyes were wide as two big dishes, and filled with shock. Her mother was silent, probably from the shock too.

"Yes! I am pregnant! That's why I will never abandon him, and he will not abandon me" - she said, trying to sound as serious as she could. Her mother walked away, probably to get her medicine, and father suddenly turned very calm.

"Well... if it's the child..." - he said, making long pauses. "Then... then I'll have to take care of the problem"

He looked at Krystal and his horn started glowing, emitting waves of red energy. Krystal suddenly felt pain inside her.

"Hold still, dear, this won't take long" - he said, manipulating energy, as the pain become more powerful. It felt like something was alive inside her, twisting and turning, trying to swallow her from inside. Krystal couldn't stand the suffering, as she slowly fell to her knees.

"Okay, just a little bit longer... Yeah, that should do it" - father mumbled to himself, as Krystal twisted in pain. She couldn't scream, and only silent tears were flowing from her eyes.

Mother came in just at the wrong moment.

"What are you doing?!" - she shouted when she saw Krystal, lying on the floor, cringing in pain, and her husband, manipulating energy.

"I'm doing what's best for our daughter" - he replied, as Krystal managed to finally let out a scream, fighting through the horrible pain. "She will thank me later"

"Stop it this instant! You're going to kill her!" - his wife screamed, but he didn't react - he didn't even flinch, as his daughter tried to crawl away from him. He just continued twisting her insides, intending to kill whatever life was hiding in her.

"Dad... please... stop..." - Krystal moaned, but he was deaf to her suffering.

* * *

The sun was peacefully burning in the sky, as Sombra made his way home. Krystal's birthday certainly went as intended. The cake was delicious, and she was happy - what else do you need?

There wasn't many thoughts in his head besides happiness - soon, very soon, he and Krystal will be truly together. That tells him, he'll have to find a job. Magic Academy seemed nice - since he is quite good at magic, he'll be a great professor. Then, he'll work hard and earn enough money to buy a house - somewhere far from the Crystal City, as he started to get tired of it. However, it all depended on Krystal - whether she wants to stay, or live somewhere away, it was for her to decide.

Though it may be too early to think about that, Sombra imagined what would his son or daughter look like. What kind of talents he or she will have, what school will they choose for him or her... Or maybe it will be he AND she. That would be even more cool. He will try to be the best father in the world... Better than his father, at least.

Suddenly, pain struck his head, and noise filled his ears. He could not make out anything out of this, as it all merged into one loud ringing. Images and flashes started appearing before his eyes, as he collapsed on the ground. Images were flying by very fast, but this time, he was able to make something out of it - he saw Krystal, then endless images of torture and pain. It was too dark for him to make out who was being tortured, and what the hell in general was going on.

"No...No... Not again!" - he screamed as he got up, and images left his head. This nightmare was happening again. Yet again, he sees the images of his beloved, meaning their demise. He can't let this happen again! He must not let it happen!

He quickly turned around and ran as fast as he could to Krystal's house. She was on her way home, and he will either see her on the way there, or reach the house itself. Out of desperation, Sombra started to quickly teleport forwards, ignoring obstacles in his path. Several bystanders barely managed to get out of his way.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" - they shouted at him, but he didn't hear them. All he heard is the chilling scream which echoed in his ears like endless chorus. He cannot lose her! He made a promise - he will keep it! He can't fail!

Flash after flash - Sombra disappears in a puff of smoke, and reappears again, closer to his target. But still, he's not fast enough! Every second is as precious as a life, and he's wasting it!

Flash after flash - but still not enough. He will make it. He will save her. No matter what, even if he has to sacrifice his own life. Any life!

* * *

"Krystal! Krystal, can you hear me? Talk to me, dear, talk to me!" - mother screamed, but Krystal didn't answer. She just stared into the wall with her eyes slowly closing.

She was still breathing, but her heartbeat was getting slower and slower. She felt her limbs go numb and saw the world turning dark. She felt her feelings disappear and memories slowly being erased. She felt the cold touch of death upon her skin, as her body was turning cold, to match this perfect combination.

"Oh no, please, dear, don't!" - she heard a far away voice, barely resembling her mother. "Please don't die!"

"Heavens, no" - her father said, realizing what a terrible mistake happened. "It can't be... she can't die... only the child should..."

It struck as a lightning. But far too late.

"Why?! Why did you do this?! Why lie to us?" - he shouted, quickly approaching his daughter. He knew she can't answer, not that he really wanted to know.

The door opened, and Sombra flew in, ignoring everything in his path. He was followed by a lonely servant, who tried to stop him.

Krystal turned her head and saw her only love. For a moment, she regained her soul back, as life returned to her for a moment. Maybe death was generous that day, to allow her to say goodbye.

Sombra quickly approached Krystal, as her mother and father backed away in shock. He picked her up from the floor and turned around, so she would look at him.

"Krystal, please... Please don't leave me... It can't happen again..." - Sombra said, trying to keep her awake.

"I'm... sorry... So sorry..." - she whispered in a weak voice. "I didn't think this... through..."

"No..."

"Sombra... Please... Live happy... May your life bring you much joy... but please... remember me, okay?" - she said, as a tear ran down her face, fell on the floor and broke into thousands of little droplets.

"I promise... I promise..." - Sombra said, and Krystal smiled. Her face slowly turned pale, her body became cold. She closed her eyes forever, as her spirit left this world, into a better place.

Sombra stood speechless, as he was looking at the body of his beloved. The only pony he loved lied dead in his hooves. He lost her, just like he lost his mother. His mind, his heart were empty, devoid of all feelings.

"So... it was you... she meant..." - her father said, looking at him with unconcealed hatred. "It's because of you..."

Sombra didn't say anything to these words. He just got up, and closed his eyes.

"It's all your fault!... Hadn't you show up, it would all be alright! It's all your fault"- her father shouted, trying to cloud his guilt in his own eyes. Sombra didn't say anything, he just walked two steps towards the fall and disappeared in a puff of dark smoke.

Father stood speechless over his daughter's dead body. His wife was nearby, already crying her eyes out. He looked one more time at Krystal's pale face - it looked... happy. A weak smile was stuck on her face for eternity.

"Oh, gods, what have I done... What have I done?" - he said in a quiet and weak voice.

* * *

Sombra entered his home, its hostile atmosphere of alcohol and despair quickly engulfed him. He looked forward, but it was like he was staring into the void, the void that replaced his soul. His mind was filled with memories of his relatively happy life - how he met her, how awkward he was, their first kiss...

Krystal was the only pony he truly cared about, since his mother died. She was the only thing in this world that kept him happy. He loved her, she loved him - and now, this love ends, with his heart's second half being claimed by death's cold embrace.

"Damn, you look like shit" - his father said, stumbling out of the kitchen. "What happened - you've seen a ghost or something?"

"Leave me alone... Please... just leave me alone"- Sombra replied in an angry voice, mixed with sorrow.

"Eh, relax. Just what could reduce such a bulk head like you to the state of a cry-baby?" - Amethyst said, drinking from a bottle.

"She's... dead... dead... I lost her"

"Who? That girl of yours? Oh" - Amethyst said, and turned away. "Hmph, maybe that's for the best"

"What... what was that?" - Sombra said in a trembling voice, having overheard what he said.

"I said - maybe that's for the best. Did you think for a second that she loved you? Like I told you - you were nothing but a plaything in her hooves. Now, that she's deceased, you will not have to suffer having your heart destroyed" - he said. "Forget about her and live on"

Images of Krystal's innocent smile fazed Sombra's one more time. Her beautiful and innocent glance, her perfect soul, that inspired him to live on. Her last words: "Remember me... okay?"

They echoed in his ears, like endless chorus of sorrow and tears. Her tears were like stars in the sky... maybe she's right there, in the sky, as one of the brightest stars...

"Remember me... okay?"

Sombra raised his head looking directly at his father. He looked at him, wondering - how he could ever love this pathetic creature? How he could ever hope for it? Ever feel sympathy for it? Ever consider it a pony?

Energy started cracking in the air, as Sombra's horn glowed dark. Slowly, but steadily the energy took the appearance of a black lightning. It felt heavy, as the air smelled of ash and smoke.

Blinded by rage, Sombra unleashed the storm, created from his very hatred. The bolt flew through the air, as Amethyst could only turn and see a glimpse of its dark energy. It hit him right in the chest, unleashing a devastating shockwave, completely demolishing the kitchen and sending Amethyst flying into the wall. The wood cracked and he crashed through the wall, breaking it with his very spine, flying out into the street. The flinders flew across, and the pieces of furniture landed nearby him. Hundreds of bottles were reduced to mere dust.

As the smoke settled down, Sombra looked around in shock - half of the house was gone. His father was lying in dirt, surrounded by smoldering parts of the wall. This power in him... it was massive. But right now, he could only think of where to run - he has no place in this city anymore. As he ran away whenever his eyes lead him, he wondered if he has a place in this world at all.

The streets and faces of other ponies were flying past him. Many turned to him, wondering where this young colt is running. But nopony knew, not even Sombra. His heart and soul were still aching, and his mind was still plagued by painful memories. All hopes and dreams were turned to ash and cinders in a mere day.

He ran forward, away from his life, away from this town. Maybe, in faraway borders he will find his place in the world.


	4. Taste of victory

Several small drops fell from the sky, landing into the dirty and wet ground. They continued to fall, and soon it was raining, messing up the ground even more. The sky was grey, with several parts of it being darker than the others. Sometimes, in the distance, one could hear a thunder.

Sombra was going through the trench, trying to jump over puddles of water. On his head he was wearing a helmet, which looked more like a round bucket, but it did the job - protected his head from rain. On his hooves he was wearing light iron gauntlets - they weren't pretty, and in some places rust started claiming them, but they were quite comfortable.

He walked for several more minutes until he reached a checkpoint - a wooden roof over the trench, and a special expansion for the trench to fit a chair and a table. A lonely pony was leaning on the wall and peacefully dreaming, even snoring a bit.

"Hey, wake up, you dumb bastard" - he shouted at the soldier. He quickly woke up, put on his helmet and saluted him, raising his hoof in the air.

"Hail, Lieutenant. Private Ramrod reporting for duty!" - he said in a worried voice.

"Thank you, but it's SECOND Lieutenant. Why were you sleeping on your post?"- Sombra asked.

"I wasn't, sir. I was over watching... ground, sir"

"So, did you notice anything suspicious on the ground?"

"Sir, no, Sir" - he replied.

"Good. Get back to the barracks. I'm overtaking your post" - Sombra said, and Ramrod hailed him once more and moved out towards the barracks, which were stationed underground, with the entrance being at the end of the trench. Sombra sighed and sat down at the table.

The rules in the army were quite strict - if there wasn't enough privates, the officers had to patrol and keep watch themselves. Which was quite stupid, to Sombra's liking, but what can he do?

Though to be fair, he wasn't really a second lieutenant. He was just replacing the missing one, until the main command sends a new one to take this position. Then Sombra will be back to being sublieutenant. The story of his sudden promotion was a bit humorous if you were into dark humor.

One day, Sombra was helping his commanding officer, the second lieutenant Crow Feather. They had to clean up the armory, which mostly consisted of rifles and growlers.

Crystal Empire had a very interesting choice of weapons - their rifles were like decorated tubes, made out of crystals and colored black and brown, so they won't spark on the sun. To fire this gun, you had to lie down on the ground, put the rife in the position you prefer for aiming, then hit the shutter on the side of it. The gun will fire a bolt of energy at the enemy. Thankfully, you didn't have to reload it, all you needed to do is to put the shutter back in its place, wait for cooldown and then you can fire again. Growlers were a special type of rifles, very powerful, because they fired in bursts, instead of single shots. They looked like six rifles attached to one big crystal tube - to fire, you had to spin a special lever at its end. It was usually a stationary weapon, sometimes very big and strong ponies carried them instead of rifles.

So, while Crow Feather was cleaning one of the rifles, he was telling Sombra about one time where he managed to dodge a blast from the rifle like this. The story was not particularly interesting, so Sombra was concentrated on cleaning a growler. There was certain harmony in this little circle - Crow Feather was talking, and Sombra was almost listening. Suddenly, a deafening sound of a blast flew through the air and the place was filled with smoke. Sombra quickly turned around - half of Crow Feather's face was gone, so much that Sombra could see his brain slowly leaking on the floor. Poor bastard put the rifle right on himself, like aiming it at his own face, which was strictly forbidden. Too distracted by his own story, he hit the shutter. He was buried shortly not far from here.

Major Metal Eye quickly issued an order for Sombra to take up the position of the second lieutenant, and he did his duty while it lasted. Maybe this is his last patrol as the second lieutenant.

The rain became stronger with each passing minute, and Sombra was happy to have a roof over his head. Not that it saved him from the cold this autumn brought, but it's better than nothing. Any poor bastard who has to patrol through the trench right now will be throat-deep in mud. Here, in relative dryness Sombra could delve into memories for a minute.

Five years have passed since his depart from Crystal City. For almost a year he made his way to the border. When he finally reached it, he was half-dead. The soldiers here offered him food and roof over the head, but, after a brief talk with the Major Metal Eye, he allowed Sombra to join them. Serving in the army proved to be quite an experience - but he endured it. It even became somewhat likeable for him.

Intense training and harsh conditions greatly improved his physique. He became much faster and stronger than he was, also learning quite a lot of fighting techniques. Though he never got into a real fight, the training among the soldiers went in his favor most of the times.

However, the gaping wound on his heart and soul still plagued him. Every now and then, he just stared into the wall, wishing for different life, wishing back his loved ones. That made him quite an outsider in the ranks. He wasn't really into making friends as well.

Sometimes, he woke up in the middle of the night, covered in cold sweat. The images of Krystal were clouding his mind, and her last words kept sounding in his ears again and again, like endless mantra, sung by a priest. Because of that he was on the night watch most of the time.

The rain ,drumming on the wooden roof, disturbed his concentration. Out of boredom, Sombra approached the spyglass, stationed on the wall of the trench to look further into the unknown territory. The rain became so thick he could not see far, but maybe that's for the best. Like he's interested in some deer running past...

Suddenly, he noticed a figure in the thick cover of the rain. He looked closely, trying to notice every detail. It was a pony, winged one, dressed in armor. He had a strange brush on his helmet, that, despite the horrible rain, wasn't going down. He noticed another pony like this... and another one... and another one.

There were hundreds of ponies like this, slowly moving towards the trench. He also noticed their banner - blue background, with white wings as their symbol. He recognized this banner from one of the history books he once read.

"Alert! Invasion! Invasion!" - Sombra shouted as loud as he could, ran towards the wall of the trench where a small bell was hanging and rang it as loud as he could. The sound reached other checkpoints, as bells rang louder and louder, awakening the whole frontier guard division.

Soon, Sombra saw his fellow comrades, filling the trench. They were armed and ready to fire. He quickly ran to the unit he was commanding.

His unit was stationed at the pride of this frontier guard - the turret. It was mounted at the tower, somewhere in the middle of the trench. Twin- growler cannons were able to take out hundreds of enemies if aimed properly.

Finally, he reached his squad. Consisting of just four ponies, it was more than enough to make this turret spew fire.

"Private, you're on the guard! You three, prepare the turret and start firing on my command" - Sombra gave orders, and his subordinates quickly got to business. In just several minutes, they were ready.

Sombra's heart was pounding fast. His mind was clouded by suspicions and worries, but he drove them away. This may be his first fight, his first battle... and, hopefully, not the last.

The army of winged ponies was advancing slowly, then suddenly stopped. Out of their ranks, one of them, probably the leader, came out. He had the same armor as the others, but it was colored blue. Though you could not see that, as the mud was all over him. He flew up in the air and quickly reached the trench all alone, crossing the hundreds of meters between their army and the trench in two minutes. He landed in front of the trench, splashing mud as he landed. Several ponies pointed their rifles right at him.

"He-he... Relax, peasant, I have no quarrel with you. Where is your commander?" - he said in a sarcastic tone.

"Over here" - a rough voice said. Major Metal Eye walked to the stranger as soldiers let him pass.

"Ehem, I, the missionary of the great Pegasi Republic, which borders cross the very heavens of creation, have arrived here to announce great news. Our beloved leader, Commander Hurricane, who plans to colonize these lands, have offered you the chance to surrender and live in peace. What say you? " - he said in pompous tone. He was very proud of himself and his people. Major didn't like prideful ponies.

"What I say? I'll say one thing" - Mayor said, backed away to the trench, then jumped inside quickly. "I say: FIRE AT WILL!"

The thunder of shots pierced the air, as the soldiers fired their rifles into the enemy ranks. Poor quickly flew up into the air, but his wings were torn away by some good shots, and he fell into the mud. The army of these...'pegasi'... quickly flew up into the air, planning to attack from above.

"Just a few seconds... a few more..." - Sombra said, as this whole army dived, planning to crush them with numbers. There were only 60 of them, and hundreds, maybe thousands of pegasi. As this avalanche got closer and closer, Sombra finally found the perfect moment.

"Fire the cannon! For the Empire!" - he screamed at the top of his lungs, as twin guns started spinning, raining fire upon the upcoming pegasi. They started to fall down like flies, dozen by dozen. But still, it was not enough to break their charge.

With all their might, they dived into the trench, using the blades on their hooves, and just bare hooves to fight and avenge their fallen comrades. However, crystal ponies were not backing up - their fought back, hitting them with their gauntlets, and firing whenever possible. Each shot took away a pegasus's life, as horrible power that was hiding within the weapon tore their wings, heads and limbs off.

The trench was slowly turning into bloody pit. Crystal ponies were holding back, but there was just too much of them, the pegasi came like the endless swarm. Sombra fell on the ground, put his rifle in the position to fire and started shooting, killing any pegasus that dared to even look towards the turret. One of them ran right at Sombra, as he hit the stutter and the rifle spew out the bold of energy, which made the attacker's head pop like a balloon. He fell on the ground, spilling blood and brains, mixing them with mud and dirt. At least five of them started running towards the turrets. Sombra and the other soldier managed to kill three of them, as the rest were torn apart by the fire from the turret.

"Sombra! Too many of them - and more coming! Cover our retreat!" - Major Metal Eye screamed, as he whacked another pegasus on the head with his rifle.

"Sir, yes, sir!" - Sombra shouted. "Covering fire! Make those guns melt!"

The turret started firing without stop, without cooldown. The barrels started heating, and the droplets of the rain started to evaporate from them. With each passing second, the turret was tearing more and more pegasi into bloody chunks. Slowly, but steadfully, all surviving crystal ponies retreated back.

"Good. Keep them pinned, I'll bring reinforcements!" - Major shouted, and told ten of the survivors to stay with Sombra and guard the turret.

They flew from high up, ran on the ground - it seemed like there was no end to them. More and more pegasi were coming to the turret, and it was firing non-stop, as the barrels became red as blood.

Sombra noticed that a very large group of the pegasi ventured towards the armory. After he shot another advancing pegasus, he put the rifle back in its holster on his side. His heart started pounding even faster, as he got up.

"You are the commander while I'm gone! Don't let them through, keep them pinned" - he shouted, and ran towards the armory.

The carnage that he saw was hellish. The trench was littered with bodies of pegasi, and somewhere you could see crystal ponies, slowly crawling away, horribly wounded. He would help them, but he couldn't - the safety of the armory was the top priority. They screamed for help, but he had no choice.

Only the Crystal Empire had the weaponry such as this. They guarded it with fanaticism, as one of their most valid arguments on the political arena.

Sombra reached the armory, but a bit too late - at least six pegasi were already trying to ram down the doors. He breathed in, and prepared for combat.

He jumped down into the mud, took out his rifle and fired. The shot pierced the pegasus's head, splattering his brains all over the wall. The five others quickly split, so at least one of them will reach Sombra before he can kill them all. Sombra quickly shot another one, then rolled over and shot the other right in the belly. At first, he thought himself alive, but as the guts fell out of the gaping hole, he fell down.

The female pegasus tried to crush Sombra, diving from above, but he quickly rolled over, dodging her attack. The mud and water were splattered all over. Sombra grabbed the rifle with telekinesis, and hit the pegasus in the knee. She stumbled and fell on the ground. Wasting no time, Sombra jumped at her and pinned her down. Without hesitation, he started raining blows upon her head. With every hit, her face became more deformed and ugly. As he delivered the final hit, her face was just a mix of broken bones, blood and brains.

Immediately after, another pegasus knocked Sombra down. He delivered two crushing blows to Sombra's stomach, then tried to hit him in the head, but Sombra managed to reach for his rifle with magic and point it right at pegasus's belly. He looked at Sombra with begging eyes, shaking his head. Sombra fired the gun, and pegasus flew back, with his insides all over the place.

There was only one left - and many more coming. Sombra looked at this mess - the pegasi were still coming, they seemed never ending. He quickly dashed towards the armory door, planning to reach it, before the pegasus reaches him. He ran quickly, but slipped and fell into the puddle of mud. The pegasus landed near him, pushing away his rifle.

"You bastard!" - he screamed at the top of his lungs, as he tried to crush him. Maneuvering in the mud, Sombra managed to dodge his attacks.

He was unarmed, the pegasus was stronger and faster, and Sombra had no time to charge a spell. There was only one way - he quickly dashed towards the pegasus, and pierced his throat with the horn.

The pegasus gargled and coughed, as life left him. Sombra pushed him away, as the feeling of disgust filled him. He looked around, looked at the pegasi he killed realizing, that he really did this. He killed them. He felt no guilt for doing it, no remorse when he crushed the girl's face with the rifle. These thoughts made him sick, and he barely managed not to vomit, as the battle still continued.

He lied down into the mud before the entrance to the armory, prepared to shoot any incoming enemy. The thoughts were still bright in his head, but he tried not to pay attention to the growing disgust. He had a mission to complete, this armory must not fall. He will defend it with his very life.

Suddenly, hundreds of shots pierced the air, as many of pegasi fell on the ground dead. Sombra quickly looked back - Major Metal Eye returned - with reinforcements. It was mere two hundred crystal ponies, which paled compared to the size of the pegasi army, but the barrage of fire and great casualties took its toll. The pegasi flew up into the air, trying to dodge the shots, but it allowed the turret to fire more effectively. It would have been better if they just ran, but it was their choice - and their demise. More and more pegasi fell dead under the fire of the turret, as their army slowly retreated.

Sombra looked into the sky, looking after the retreating pegasi. He saw how one of them got half of his body torn away, but he continued to float for several more seconds, as his insides fell out, then he plummeted into the ground. Another got half of his head blown off, and rammed into his comrade, who lost concentration and fell.

Loud cheers pierced the air, as crystal ponies celebrated their victory. It seemed impossible, it looked like a dream - but it was true. Sombra too joined this chorus of joy.

He was approached by Major Metal Eye, accompanied by two soldiers.

"Sombra! What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were covering our retreat" - he said.

"Yes, sir. But I noticed the pegasi heading toward the armory. It was crucial to preserve our weapons, so I left my post to protect the armory" - Sombra explained.

Captain looked around, seeing the dead pegasi.

"You did this all on your own? Shit, damn good job" - he said, smiling. "Very good job! The turret held out, the armory is saved, and the enemy is routing - and all thanks to ponies like you!"

"I was glad to help, Major!" - Sombra said and saluted him.

"I will recall my request to the HQ. Congratulations, Second Lieutenant Sombra" - Major said, and pat him on the shoulder. "Head to your unit - we need to revise our casualties"

* * *

An hour later, the whole frontier guard regiment (at least 200 ponies) were cleaning up the mess that the trench turned into. They were carrying out bodies of the pegasi, and dropped them into a giant pile. Sombra was standing not far from it, looking.

He was approached by the First Lieutenant Orthoclase. He had brown skin and grey mane, the helmet he was wearing was more decorative and fancy, but not by far.

"So, I can congratulate you on the promotion?" - he said, approaching Sombra. "You should be proud. Not many get an officer rank in such a young age"

Sombra didn't reply. Orthoclase smiled and came closer.

"You shouldn't be too silent about it. Every soldier goes through this - we all get to kill at some point" - he said. "At first, you will feel horrible. Then, you'll get used to it"

"How do you know what troubles me?" - Sombra asked.

"I went through it. Had the exact face as you do now - green and sick. It will pass, give it time" - he said, then looked at the pile of bodies.

"Huh, okay... What are we going to do with these?" - Sombra asked, looking at the same pile.

"Bury them. They may be enemies, but they deserve a proper burial" - he answered, and Sombra sneered.

"Would they be so kind to us?" - he said.

"Don't know. At least, I don't really want to find out" - Orthoclase attempted humor. Sombra wasn't impressed.

"Well, whatever. Anyway, I just wanted to inform you that, since you're one of the commanding officers, you need to be at the meeting tonight. We'll discuss the plans of counter-attack" - Orthoclase said, and went away to his unit.

Sombra once again looked at the bodies, as the rain was washing away dirt and blood, coloring the ground into crimson-red color. The flies have already started to fly around them, expecting a great feast. Sombra wondered, how many tons of rot could be salvaged from this pile only, if they let the bodies lie around long enough. Maybe enough to increase the production of grain for the next twenty years.

He shook his head, trying to drive away these thoughts. Using corpses as fertilizer - that is not okay. Maybe he should get some rest. Sombra headed to the barracks to for a quick nap - so he will head to the meeting with a cool head.

* * *

Sombra opened the door and looked inside. Major Metal Eye and First Lieutenant Orthoclase were already sitting at the round table. There was a big map, depicting the approximate landscape of where this Pegasi Republic is supposed to be. They don't know much about them yet, so they cannot pinpoint the location of their cities.

"Oh, Sombra, you've arrived. Sit down, and we can begin" - Major Metal Eye said. Sombra took a chair, and moved it to the table. However, this seemed quite strange - if they are planning a counter-attack plan, shouldn't they be controlled by a high-ranking figure? Attacks on the neighboring countries are not to be handled by lesser ponies.

"Sir, are we... all alone in this operation?" - Sombra asked, looking at Major, after gathering up enough courage.

"No. Just several hours ago our reinforcements and our commanding officer arrived. He will be supervising this operation" - the Major said, and then suddenly, out of one of the rooms, a pony walked in. He was dressed in crystal armor, that sparkled like hundreds of diamonds, his helmet was more traditional, with dragon wings on its sides. Sombra's jaw almost fell off, as he recognized this pony, from the books on history in his school.

Lord Sanguine Procellar, the general of Legio Eternum. Legio Eternum were the most seasoned and hardened warriors of the Empire, the famed heroes, who crushed any enemy who stood in their path. Their deeds were hailed in every history book, and their general was legendary - a veteran of hundred wars, as his lifespan was greatly increased by the Crystal Heart. The Emperor himself granted him this eternal youth - for his heroic deeds and services to the Empire.

Sombra never behaved like a fanpony but this... the legendary hero of all Empire stood before him!

"Hello? Second Lieutenant Sombra, are you okay?" - Lord Sanguine asked, as Sombra realized he was staring right at him.

"Ah... sorry. I just... um... never thought that I would be fighting beside the legendary Legio Eternum" - Sombra said, and Sanguine sneered.

"Yes. Emperor wanted this problem to be handled immediately and with all seriousness, so he sent us" - Sanguine said, and went to the map. "So, my comrades, we have a mission - let the pegasi know that you don't mess with Crystal Empire. We will capture three of their towns on the border, to increase our own territory, and to send them a message"

"I've already send scouts to find these towns, inspect their protection and devise a plan of attack" - Major Metal Eye said. "If we are lucky, we will be able to move out the day after tomorrow"

"Good. Very good. First Lieutenant Orthoclase, are the supplies, needed for the march, gathered?"

"We're on it, my liege"

"Very good. Sombra, we need to gather up supplies and weapons for the march. See to that"

"Yes, sir, I'll get right on that!" - Sombra said. Sanguine looked at the map yet again.

"Who knows what these winged freaks have in store for us. The next meeting will be held here, at the same place, after our recon group returns. You're all dismissed" - he said, and Major, Sombra and Orthoclase left the house and went to their units for briefing and to just rest.

Sombra still couldn't believe it - he will fight beside the Legio Eternum! Maybe he will be able to show his courage and earn respect of these great warriors.

Several minutes later, he arrived at the barracks, where his squad was stationed. He quickly gathered his soldiers and gave the orders to prepare for the march. They started loading wagons, loading food and weapons onto them. Some wagons were used as transportable hospitals.

It started to get dark, but their work was done. Even more than that, they managed to load far more wagons than planned. So, if anything happens, there won't be any shortage of food. With the feeling of the accomplished mission, he sent his squad to have some rest.

Should probably start to remember their names, Sombra thought to himself - would be awkward to call them privates all the time. However, since every squad was at least thirty or forty ponies, he's going to have a hard time remembering them all.

* * *

The evening has taken its toll, and the sun was going down. Sombra was sitting in one of the wagons, awaiting the invitation to the meeting. This day has passed quite boring - they were just preparing for the long trip, and new battles. However, Sombra felt something surging within him - the last night, he was visited by nightmares again. He saw endless flashes of the most painful pages of his life - especially her death. These nightmares kept the wound on his soul bleeding - and the power he was trying to hold back was storming inside him like never before.

He never openly admitted that he used dark magic during his life here. Without the books, he could not study anymore, but most of the spells he knew by heart. Though there wasn't much time to practice, as they were training or patrolling most of the time. However, he was happy to finally go away from magic and feel himself somewhat different. His self-limitations took their toll - he constantly felt the need to unleash his magical potential upon something, and not just some weak spell - some dark, heavy, destructive spell. So far, he managed to control it. But now, it seems he will have a chance to put his magical knowledge to use. Crack some heads as Major says sometimes.

Finally, a messenger arrived. He knocked on the side of the wagon, and Somrba came out of its dry protection.

"Sir Sombra, Lord Sanguine orders you to arrive to the meeting immediately" - he said quickly.

"Good. I'll be on my way. You're dismissed" - he said to the messenger and went to the house.

Lord Sanguine, Major Metal Eye and Orthoclase were already there, waiting for Sombra. He quickly moved a chair to the table and sat down.

"All right, Metal Eye's scouts have just reported back - they have located three border towns, or, should I say, fortresses. They are located here" - Lord Sanguine said, moving to the map and circling three points with a red marker.

"However, we have two problems - these pigeons build their cities in the sky. So unfortunately, we cannot take their fortresses. Only destroy them" - Major Metal Eye said.

"How? We have weapons that can destroy clouds?" - Orthoclase asked.

"No, we'll have to rely on magic for this one" - Sanguine replied. "When the resistance is destroyed, our magic users will destroy them"

"Good, I like that idea. Tear them down from the sky!... Sounds poetic"-Orthoclase said.

"And what's the second problem, my lord?" - Sombra asked.

"A giant force of pegasi has been spotted, at least three days of flying away from these fortresses. If we don't take them in this short period of time... well, gentlecolts... we're, as they say, boned. So we have to depart today, right now. Sombra, is our army ready for the march?"

"Yes, Lord Sanguine. We are ready to depart now" - Sombra reported and Sanguine nod.

"Very good. Now, since we are limited in time, we will have to split our forces into three groups - for each fortress. Major Metal Eye, you will take on the north-east fortress" - he said, pointing at the red circle that was higher than the others.

"Orthoclase, you will take the northern fortress"- he pointed at the middle circle. "Second Lieutenant, you will take on the north-west fortress. You will all be supported by Legio Eternum, whenever needed - we will come to aid. Otherwise, we will stay behind you at this point, "- as he drew a cross on the map, on the spot of some field, that was some kind of a crossroad for these three fortresses - it was a perfect position for a base -"We will cover the rear and the flanks. That's our tactic for today. Any questions?"

"I do, sir. What kind of resistance are we up against?" - Sombra asked.

"The resistance will be quite heavy, don't expect them to back down - it's their territory and they will fight to the death to protect it. However, we still have the technology and superior magic at our side. Still, don't get cocky - this will be hard, but hard battles bring more glory" - Sanguine replied. "Get to your troops and start the march. For the Empire"

"For the Empire" - Metal Eye, Orthoclase and Sombra said all at once. After that, they left the house and headed for the their wagons. Long road awaits them, a road that will take them straight to the battlefield, straight into hell. Sombra made himself comfortable in the wagon, maybe a two minutes nap won't hurt. However, he couldn't even close his eyes, as the worry was overtaking him - he just couldn't believe it. When he arrived here, he thought he'll just spend the rest of his life guarding the border. Now, he's on the front line - as a commander, he is responsible for his soldiers, they trust him - and he will not fail them. He will be like the heroes of old - standing tall against thousands of enemies, no fear, no mercy! He even remembered a song that he used to hear a lot about Legio Eternum as a kid:

See the Eternum standing tall  
All for one and one for all  
Enemies fall at their feet  
Begging for their mercy  
See the Eternum standing tall  
Conquer lands and slaughter all  
Enemies fall at their feet  
Victory and great defeat

* * *

Next day was much bright and beautiful - the sun was shining high in the sky, the wind was blowing, bringing freshness and coolness.

The ground was still wet from the rain, and the wagons got stuck in the mud many times. So at least several soldiers had to push them. Fortunately, the mud wasn't too deep for the wagons to get stuck for good, and they suffered no casualties.

Sombra woke up and looked around. Nothing changed in the wagon, except several ponies, who got inside at night to sleep a bit. Sombra cleared his eyes, and got out of the wagon.

The army was marching forwards, following the road and carefully watching the skies. Good thing that there were no clouds today, but the pegasi could manipulate weather, so they still had to be careful.

Sombra approached one of the marching soldiers. He quickly saluted to his commander.

"Private, did anything happen while I was asleep?" - he asked.

"No, sir. Nothing at all" - the soldier replied, adjusting his helmet.

"Good. Very good" - he said, and hurried up to the head of the march, where Lord Sanguine, Metal Eye and Orthoclase were. They would probably want to lead the march themselves, he figured.

Orthoclase was riding on the open wagon, looking far to the horizon, using binoculars. Sombra jumped on, and come closer to him.

"See anything?" - he asked, and Orthoclase shook his head.

"No. It seems they weren't planning any more attacks on the border" - he said, and put the binoculars away. "For ponies that live in the skies, they sure know how to hide their towns"

"We're just not close enough yet. Just wait - and we'll reach them" - Sombra said.

"Maybe" - Orthoclase said. They both looked at the horizon, looking for anything that would dare to approach them.

"Doesn't it seem a little bit weird for the Emperor to send Legio Eternum here? Don't get me wrong, I am glad they are here, but they are legendary. Best of the Empire! Why would the Emperor send them for a simple counter-attack?" - Sombra said. Orthoclase looked down on the floor.

"You know, you're right. It is a bit weird. These ponies are skilled enough to take these fortresses on their own, but they are here just as back up. That's strange" - he said, and turned to Sombra. "Maybe it doesn't end here. Maybe the Emperor is planning something"

"Maybe. I wonder, if this operation will mean a full on war" - Sombra said, when suddenly Major Metal Eye jumped on.

"No, there will be no war. At least, not in the way you mean it. We will retaliate to let the flyers know that you don't mess with us. Then, the peace negotiations will start. Simple as that" - he said.

"What if they fail?" - Sombra asked.

"Hmm... no idea. Let's just hope they won't" - Metal Eye said, and looked around. "We're going to arrive soon. Then, we separate. Are you all ready?"

"Yes, sir" - Sombra and Orthoclase said in a chorus. Major smiled and looked at the horizon.

The nature around was quite beautiful. The giant fields that were like the oceans of grass, huge trees, great forests, housing many animals inside. Sombra read that, besides pegasi, these gigantic beautiful lands are inhabited by earth ponies and unicorns. While at first they seemed like unicorns and regular ponies of the crystal empire, it would be wrong to think so. Earth ponies were skilled farmers and landlords, and unicorns used their magic for art, regular life and other things. Such things as offensive magic and dark magic were unknown to them.

Ponies of the Crystal Empire were never skilled in the matter of agriculture. Instead, they used magic provided by crystal unicorns, who drew their power from the Crystal Heart. Every crystal pony, regular and unicorn, are magically connected to the Crystal Heart from birth. Their inner energy supports the Heart, allowing it to process more and more energy. If crystal ponies are gone, the Crystal Heart will be useless.

These lands are beautiful - Sombra couldn't stop looking. The birds were flying around and singing their pretty songs, rabbits were running in the fields, playing. Somewhere afar he could hear other animals.

"This land is beautiful!" - he said out loud.

"Can't argue with that. It is very pretty" - Orthoclase said gloomily. "I doubt they deserve such a land"

"Why so?" - Sombra asked.

"Have you looked at our lands? Nothing but plains and crystals. We use magic to help our fields to grow. I grew up on the damn crystal mine - nothing but rocks, crystals and work! Shit" - Orthoclase said in a frustrated voice.

"I grew up in the Crystal City. Can't say I understand you - I haven't travelled that much, before I got to the border. But from what I've seen... it is pretty dull"- Sombra said.

"You grew up in Crystal City? How was it - growing in the big city? I heard there are so many pretty girls there!" - he said, sounding excited. Sombra looked to the side, remembering his childhood.

"It was... hard. Very hard. That's all I can say. And about the girls - there was only one for me. Others just didn't matter" - he said, finally letting himself share something with other ponies. It felt a bit strange.

"True love, yeah? So, you've got a girl waiting for you back home?" - Orthoclase said smiling.

Sombra felt his heart ache. Oh, how he wished that would have been true.

"No... I have no home. This unit is my home now" - he said, looking grim.

"Oh... What happened?"

"Many bad things... All you need to know that everypony important to me is dead. End of story"

"Sorry to hear that" - Orthoclase said, and they were silent for several minutes. "You know, you should really get more talkative. It will help you with your problems - your heart will not hurt that much"

"How do you know?"

"I don't. I just think that's a good idea. Besides, it's always good to have somepony backing you up"

"I suppose you're right" - Sombra replied. He felt a little bit better, now that he shared at least a fragment of his story with others.

* * *

Soon, they reached the field where Lord Sanguine decided to establish his camp. Warriors of Legio Eternum, all dressed in heavy crystal armor, didn't even have to place tents or dig trenches - they just planted a piece of growth crystal. In seconds, it will become a tower, or an obstruction. Several minutes later, their camp was ready - they had several watchtowers, barracks, and it was all surrounded by small barricades.

"The camp is set. We will rest now - the soldiers are tired. We marched through the whole night" - Major Metal Eye said, and soldiers sigh with relief. Sombra, however, was a bit concerned.

"I think it will be a good idea to send scouts ahead - see if we encounter any resistance on our way to the fortress" - he said to one of the soldiers. He saluted and went to the wagon where the scouts were resting. Minutes later, a squad of ponies, dressed in light armor, went off for the reconnaissance.

The surroundings were quite pleasing for the eye. However, the worry didn't let Sombra concentrate on anything. How will the battle go, what will happen - all these questions kept pestering him. He looked at the soldiers he will be commanding - regular crystal ponies, talking with each other. Soon, many of them will die. Sombra will have to put that number to minimum. He sighed heavily, trying to calm his nerves - soon, he will be on the battlefield. He will prove himself worthy.

* * *

The moon took over the sky, as the stars were shining bright. The nature around became silent, only chirr of grasshoppers was interrupting the absolute quietness.

Sombra was slowly making his way through bushes, trying to step as quietly and carefully as he could. He was followed by three soldiers, all armed with devastators - special guns, used for bombardment. They were like giant tubes, that were put vertically into the ground, then charge them with energy. When charged, it will fire a ball of exploding energy into the sky. All three were unicorns, so they could charge the guns themselves.

The rest of Sombra's unit were hidden in the forest, awaiting the first explosions in the sky. That will be their signal to point their guns to the sky and fire.

Finally, Sombra and the mortar squad reached a good firing position. He looked up into the sky, and saw the fortress. It was a big white building, made out of clouds. Pegasi could somehow 'solidify' clouds and use them as building material. Fortunately, it made them vulnerable for energy attacks - like magic or crystal energy.

"Prepare to fire at my command" - Sombra whispered, as the mortar team put their devastators into the ground. They looked very confident, and that gave Sombra a bit of courage. He saw the pegasi whirling across the fortress -he couldn't see from here, but he could bet they were racing against each other. Their speed was baffling - one could fly across the fortress in ten seconds! Still, it wasn't very big, anyway.

One of the soldiers started charging his devastator - his horn was glowing with energy, slowly passing it to the weapon. The very bottom of the weapon, the one that was touching the ground, started to spark and shine with weak white light. Slowly, this light became brighter and brighter.

"Ready to fire. On your mark" - the soldier said, looking at Sombra. He nod in reply, and looked at the fortress once again. The pegasi are not expecting an attack - sleeping, or racing against each others. Time to wake them up.

"Fire!" - Sombra said, and the soldiers let their devastators spew out the energy. Three bright energy balls flew high up in the air, and slowly fell down at the fortress. The racing pegasi quickly started to stare at these balls, when they collided with the clouds and the fortress and exploded in a massive shockwave. The signal was given.

Soldiers, hiding in the woods, pointed their guns towards the fortress and started shooting. The blasts from the rifles were not powerful enough to break the solidified clouds, but that wasn't their intention. Pegasi quickly woke up, and started to fly around the fortress, preparing to charge at the enemy. At least two big groups prepared to flank Sombra's forces, while the rest were going for the head-on attack.

Sombra quickly realized that, if flanked and engaged in melee, his soldiers will not last. He had to come up with the solution.

"Watch your flanks! They're coming around!" - he shouted. "Bright Mane, cover the flanks!"

The big pony, armed with the howler, nod at Sombra and turned to the pegasi. He quickly started spinning the stutter, as the barrels of the howler rotated and fired. Flanking pegasi found themselves under fire and without cover. Now, for the second group.

Unfortunately, all other heavily armed ponies were already raining suppressing fire at the fortress, and it will take too long for them to turn around. It seems this one was on Sombra.

Sombra gathered his thoughts and started charging up energy. His horn glowed with grey energy, as he left the power surging through his veins. It felt so good to finally let his magic loose.

Sombra sent his energy into the right channels, preparing an air spell. The grass near him got pressed down to ground from the amount of power.

"Witness your doom!" - he screamed in excitement and unleashed a powerful energy tornado. It whirled and howled as it flew towards the pegasi. Certain in their power to control weather, they started to fly around it in the opposite direction it was spinning, trying to slow it down and stop it. Sombra smiled, as he stopped holding the energy together. The tornado unleashed several lightning bolts from itself, frying any pegasi it hit. Then it whirled faster and faster, became bigger, as it sucked more pegasi inside. Even from where he was, Sombra could hear their screams, as they were burnt alive.

Seeing as their flanking charge failed, the pegasi quickly retreated into the fortress. Sombra wondered what they were going to do next.

He saw several big dark clouds approaching them from the fortress. Seconds after, the lightning struck the tree, sparking a fire.

"Quickly, away from the forest" - Sombra commanded, as his troops ran from the spreading forest fire.

Now, they were in the open, as the pegasi tried another attack - several of them flew up in the air as high as they can, and dived down like bombs, while the rest were trying to circle around Sombra's forces.

"The turtle tactic! Now!" - Sombra shouted. It was the most simple maneuver he knew - his forces gathered up into the a big crowd, and used each other as stands for their rifles. It allowed to shoot in every direction, as if a hedgehog was shooting out its thorns.

As more and more pegasi fell down dead, they realized it was a bad idea, and retreated. Then, several minutes after, they broke pieces of their own fortress, and used it as a floating cover. No amount of fire could shoot through these solidified clouds, and the mortars were too imprecise to hit them. There was no other way but to engage them in melee.

"Crystal ponies, keep close to each other. Prepare to stand your ground! No retreat!" - Sombra shouted, and his troops obediently took their rifles, ready to use them as blunt weapons.

Then, Sombra had an idea - he can try to charge the devastator with the dark magic. Maybe it will have a different effect... but what if it goes out of control? When he was 17 years old, he shot blasts that could punch you through the wall. What power does he possess now?

Sombra decided to go with it. It all depends on him!

He approached the devastator and his horn glowed with dark energy. His head started to ache, as the memories returned.

"Remember me, okay?"

He remembered how happy he was... and how much hate his heart housed when father scolded his beloved. The devastator started glowing with dark energy, and cracks started to cover its surface. The soldier in charge of it backed down, looking in awe.

Finally, the devastator was charged - it was barely staying still, trembling and shaking.

"Fire it! Aim right for their cover" - Sombra ordered, as his headache went away. The soldier nod and pointed the devastator right at the advancing cover. The devastator made a loud noise, as blasts of dark magic flew out right at them. The fate of fire was the same as the howler, and the power was like he was firing a standard devastator! Their covers were turned into nothing but smoke, along with their limbs, pushing it. The blasts tore off their wings, hooves and heads. However, several of them made it and the fight began.

Pegasi were exquisite melee fighters - crystal ponies were no match for them. However, they were too much of crystal ponies, and the pegasi suffered great losses, and only a three dozens managed to reach crystal army.

The devastator was completely destroyed, as it was covered in cracks, and looked like it was about to fall apart at any seconds. Sombra felt tired - that spell drained very much of his stamina - but it was worth it.

The melee engagement lasted for twenty minutes, as more pegasi arrived. Crystal ponies were unable to suppress them like before, and many pegasi reached their goal.

Sombra quickly noticed that.

"Use everything you can on that fortress! I want it destroyed!" - he shouted, as the two remaining devastators prepared to fire. Soldiers charged them with extra power, and as they fired, the guns were covered with cracks. The devastation, caused by the blast, was enormous! Even the ground shook for a bit. Pegasi, engaged in melee, quickly noticed that. It hit their morale, as they flew up in the air and started flying away. Crystal ponies, finally free from engagement, opened fire at them, killing many.

Soon, pegasi who dared to step out of the fortress were either dead or retreated back. Now, the time has come to destroy the fortress!

"FIRE!" - he screamed, as the devastators fired one more time. The walls of the fortress shook, as the solidified clouds gave away under the power of Empire's guns. The fortress collapsed into air, as pegasi tried to get away from the rubble, quickly getting shot by soldiers.

Sombra looked at this and laughed. Yes! This is how it's going to be! He is in total control of the battle - and it goes how he wants it to go! His soldiers are demolishing these republican scum, and today he won a tremendous victory!

After the last pegasus was gone behind the clouds far away, or fell plummeting to his death, soldiers loudly screamed in joy. Sombra looked at them and smiled - today, they did perfectly. Every order was completed, and every order was precise and efficient.

This feeling... feeling of control... of sweet victory. When your army hails in joy, and the enemy runs in despair... Sombra loved it. It filled him with ecstasy and excitement, it made him want to dance!

A soldier approached Sombra and hailed him.

"Enemy's routing! Victory is ours, Lieutenant Sombra!" - he said in a happy tone. Sombra smiled.

"Perfect! Now, where these pegasi used to watch over their borders, we will establish a camp, and await the word from Major and First Lieutenant. Great work, soldier!" - Sombra replied and smiled. It feels great to be victorious! They lost many good ponies today - but their sacrifice wasn't for naught!

As the army celebrated, he walked away from the devastator position, looking towards the horizon, where the pegasi fled to. He couldn't even imagine he'll enjoy this so much - commanding your army, destroying enemies. It felt great, and it made him forget for a time about his past. He felt the urge to march onwards and conquer more for the glory of the Empire, but his orders were clear - destroy the fortress and establish the camp here. He smiled and ordered the army to settle down here - place the tents, dig the trenches. If these pegasi counter-attack, they're in for a big surprise.


	5. A victory to celebrate

Sombra was standing outside his tent, looking as the soldiers were running across the camp. They were training, resting or just wasting time. Sombra would join them, but he was too worried - neither Major nor Orthoclase have reported of their victory yet. Maybe they decided to attack in broad daylight, which backfired.

Sombra yet again congratulated himself on his victory and admired the idea of the night attack. While not pretty fair, it caught the pegasi off guard - and ensured his victory.

His thoughts were completely consumed by this victory, and their next move in this operation, which left no room for regrets and painful memories, granting him the desired peace, even for a moment.

However, Sombra could not decide what to do with the bodies of the pegasi - burying them would take time and effort, and the pegasi could swoop down at any given moment. On the other side, leaving just lying around would be pretty cruel, let alone the stench they will make.

Also there was a factor of the situation - pegasi were the enemy, and Sombra didn't feel bad about leaving them rot where they are. What did they do to deserve a burial? Nothing.

"Private, take your team of ponies and gather the bodies of the pegasi" - Sombra ordered to the soldier beside him.

"You want us to bury them, sir?" - the soldier asked.

"No. Gather them in a pile and burn them. Burial will take too long, and leaving them around will make our whole camp stink with dead" - Sombra said and the soldier saluted him and went away to his comrades. Maybe his decision was not the most friendly of getting rid of bodies, but it was the most efficient.

Sombra's head was still hurting a bit, from the amount of dark energy he poured into the devastator. Several soldiers were still looking at him, realizing his talent with black magic - but all the discussions went in a positive way. They said that this maneuver saved many lives. Even those, who were against black magic, didn't dare to speak up - either because they were afraid of being outsiders, or because they realized that it did save many lives.

Sombra wondered if this is the limit to his power, or it can be further improved. He should visit the Magic Academy when he has the chance - maybe they will give him the answer.

Out of the tail of his eye, Sombra noticed several soldiers carrying big barrels. Sombra quickly figured out what that was - ale. Though the hate for alcohol still persisted in him, he let this one pass - the occasion is fitting, and these ponies knew how to drink, unlike that trash he used to call father.

Sombra's thoughts returned to him for a moment. Did he die from his attack? Or survived? Maybe Sombra should find him... He quickly drove away those thoughts. It will be just wasting time - his father is no more. He's nothing to him, just a speck of a past, that he will leave behind and forget about its existence.

A swarm of flies were already hovering above the pile of pegasi bodies, and the smell was already hitting Sombra in the nose. Still, he approached the pile to see how it will burn.

Two ponies rolled the barrel with the oil towards the pile and opened it. Then, another pony, an unicorn, used his magic to move the barrel at the top and pour the oil onto the bodies. His horn glowed with energy, slowly turning into fire. A spark has jumped onto the pile, setting it on fire in a matter of seconds.

The fire quickly crawled around the bodies, consuming and eating their flesh, slowly turning it to ash. Sombra looked at the faces of the dead pegasi as the fire claimed them - in their eyes he saw fear, regret, acceptance, a lot of other feelings. All of them, however, were frozen in their eyes for all eternity.

As the fire devoured them, Sombra damned the fact that there was no time to bury them properly. It seems kind of evil to just burn them in piles, but this situation gave him no other choice.

He really hoped that in the future, he will not have to commit such deeds. This was dishonorable, and disgusting.

* * *

"Your majesty... They arrived" - the servant said, bowing.

Emperor Lux fixed his crown, made out of pure diamond. Oh, how he hates meetings. For each of them, he had to put on tons of jewelry and other unneeded accessories, which he hated to do.

He was a gigantic unicorn, almost twice the size of a normal pony. Crystal Heart seemed to enhance his growth as well as magical abilities. His mane was sparkling with royal gold, and his skin shined was shining-white. The mantle he was wearing was purple, with red lines across it.

The missionary, dressed in armor, approached with escort. He had a special mantle over his shoulder, where all his awards were attached. Even his wings were armored.

Emperor waited for a long time for the missionary to arrive - and he was late. Not so fast after all, these pegasi.

"Welcome to the Crystal Empire. I am glad to meet you in my humble palace" - Lux said, smiling suavely. Missionary looked at him with contempt in his eyes.

"I am glad to be here as well, Emperor Lux" - the missionary said. Lux could hear tones of annoyance in his voice. He was not willing to come here.

"So, let us start the negotiations?" - Emperor said, and sat down on his throne. Giant construction, made of special magical crystals, which resonated with powerful magic. They also changed colors whenever Emperor's mood changed - a neat feature. Right now, they were glowing with blue light.

"Yes, I presume so" - he said, and stared at the Emperor. "Are you just going to sit there? In Pegasi Republic, both sides must be either sitting or standing!"

Emperor Lux laughed.

"Yes, in Pegasi Republic - maybe. But in Crystal Empire, the superior sits, and the inferior stands" - he said in a sarcastic voice.

"What are you implying?!" - the missionary said, without hiding hatred.

"Please, I don't want to upset you. Let's just start the negotiations"

"Whatever!" - the missionary said and sat down on the floor.

"So, let's start with the fact that the aggressor in this conflict was the Republic" - Emperor Lux started. "Ehem, three days ago I have received a message from the northern border, that they were attacked by your forces"

"Ugh..." - the missionary grumbled.

"The Republic, without declaration of war or any other warning, sent their armies at us" - Emperor Lux said. "We, however, do not wish any other development of the conflict, so we offer you a peace treaty"

"As far as I know, you send your armies to destroy three of our fortresses on the border! Seems strange - you want to prevent the war, yet you strike back" - the missionary said, smiling slyly.

"Preventive measures had to be taken, of course. We don't want war, but we gladly fight back" - Emperor said proudly. "Our terms are as follows- we conclude this war as a draw, Republic does not owe the Empire any war contributions, but the Empire keeps all the territories it conquered during the conflict"

"What?! Are you kidding?!" - the missionary shouted, clearly shocked. "This is outrageous! Madness!"

"Oh, really now? Don't you forget who the aggressor is" - Emperor said, smiling. The missionary grinded his teeth.

"I will not sign the treaty! You'll have to talk with Commander Hurricane, because to me - this seems like a complete scam!" - the missionary screamed. "I will inform him that you want a meeting. Bah"

He and his guards exited through the main entrance of the Crystal Palace. Emperor Lux sighed. It seems he'll have to prepare for the negotiations on the neutral territory. Why are these pegasi so proud of themselves? There are several things Lux couldn't stand - treachery, cruelty and unjustified pride.

He got up from the throne and ordered the servants to write the letters to Sanguine.

"He, and two other commanders must fall back, and arrive to negotiations" - Emperor dictated. It was an old rule of war - during peace negotiations, all the generals and commanders, engaged in the war, must arrive to the place where the negotiations are conducted - so no side would try to seize more territories.

"Sir.. there are three commanders there. Second Lieutenant Sombra, I think" - the servant said, looking in the paper.

"What? He's not in the records yet? How's that?"

"He got a field promotion. He wasn't included in the records yet" - the servant answered.

A bright idea came to Lux's mind. As the rule suggests, all the commanding officers are included in records, so when the negotiations are conducted, one may always check the records to see if the other side is bluffing or not. Major Metal Eye, First Lieutenant Orthoclase and Lord Sanguine were all included in the records... Sombra's wasn't. This gave Lux a very interesting idea.

"Send the letters. But, for Sombra, I'll write a message myself. I have a special mission for him" - Lux said, smiling. The servant bowed and ran away to write the messages, while Lux went upstairs, into his private quarters.

The big room, decorated with red cloth, had a giant family portrait of Lux, his wife Virgo and his son Puero. Lux was standing, hugging his wife, while Puero was sitting between them. Lux really liked this drawing - a work of a professional, and the tone is very light and happy.

Lux got to his table, dipped the feather into ink and started writing on the piece of paper. If this Sombra succeeds at completing his mission, they will gain an upper hoof at the negotiations, and, maybe, acquire new territories for Crystal Empire. Then, these pegasi will think twice before ever attacking them!

* * *

Sombra was sitting in his tent, looking at the map, pinned on the board. It had the same markings as Sanguine's map - three red circles and a bunch of arrows. However, the circles were all crossed with black ink, and there was a new circle, to the north of the middle fortress. Major's scouts have reported that this is a very big city, heavily fortified, but mostly used for trading. It was named Sky Dome. In fact, all the big towns were put on the map, since their location was never a secret to anypony, but, according to Orthoclase analysis, that's where the supposed reinforcement for the fortresses resided.

Pegasi have never counter-attacked, and it was a stalemate on the front.

Sombra was very happy to receive messages from Major and Orthoclase about their victory. Lord Sanguine have congratulated them all and ordered to hold the positions until further instructions - the negotiations of peace are already in progress. However, they didn't do anything for two days - and no instructions have arrived yet. Who knows, maybe soon they will go home.

Suddenly, a guard entered his tent.

"Commander, we received the letter from Sanguine, and a special letter just for your eyes" - he said quickly.

"Hmm, what's the letter from Sanguine says?" - Sombra asked. The guard took out the envelope, opened it and started reading.

"Commanders! Our great Emperor have taken steps to ending this conflict. The peace negotiations will be conducted on the neutral territory, on the Cloud Piercing Mountain. Take a group of soldiers with you, and make your way to the mountain - by the traditions of war times, during negotiations, commanders are forbidden to be on the frontline".

Sombra sighed - yeah, looks like they will go home soon. However, there was still a letter 'for his eyes only'.

"So, that special letter..." - Sombra said, and the guard quickly took the envelope with the red seal on it and gave it to Sombra. He hailed his commander, then left the tent. Sombra looked at the envelope - nothing unusual, except the seal. It looked very familiar. He broke it open and got the letter.

"Second Lieutenant Sombra! I am Emperor Lux, the sole ruler and monarch of Crystal Empire. I wager you have already received the letter from Sanguine about the department to the mountain. This order DOES NOT concern you. From now on, you follow my orders. Since you are the only commanding officer, who will be left in the region, a great part of Legio Eternum will be under your command. Your mission is top secret, and you are not allowed to contact your relatives until it is finished.  
As you are aware, commanding officers are not allowed to be present at the frontline during negotiations. But, since you received a field promotion, and were not put into the records yet, your absence will be noticed by none.  
Your mission is to attack and capture Sky Dome, a big pegasi city. I realize that you must think this as an insane idea - they have strength in numbers, advancements with walls, and much more. Yes, this may be suicidal, but to ensure your victory, I have sent out a battalion of air balloons for you, as well as special potions, that will allow you to walk on the clouds. Remember - we need that city, do not attempt to destroy it.  
However, even with air balloons and potions, they still out power your forces. Even with Legio Eternum, this fight will be tough - but I trust in you. Know this - if you succeed, your reward will be great.  
If you are victorious, you will greatly strengthen our positions in this conflict as well as in global political arena. The outcome of this all now depends on you. I believe in you, Commander.

Emperor Lux."

Sombra was.. shocked to say the least. The Emperor himself has requested his help. This may be the most important mission in his life. It will help him achieve new heights! He couldn't believe it, but it was true - he, Sombra, the Second Lieutenant, was entrusted with a secret hard mission to turn the tide to Empire's side even further.

He felt the need to march at once, but the reinforcements from the Emperor haven't arrived yet - without them, attacking Sky Dome is suicidal.

"Gather everypony. I will make a speech - explain our soldiers what are we going to do" - Sombra ordered to his guard, and he quickly ran away.

In several minutes, almost entire Sombra's unit was standing before his tent, waiting for him to come out. Soon, he widely opened the entrance to the his tent and came out to his soldiers. He looked prideful and confident.

"Tell me, how many of you want to go home" - he said loudly, so everypony would hear them. Many soldiers raised their hooves.

"Well, I have bad news. We will not go home for now. We have another mission to complete" - Sombra said, and several grumbles of disappointment flew through their ranks.

"But, this isn't just an ordinary mission. The Emperor himself has ordered us to fight onward! Our mission is of high importance!" - he shouted, and soldiers seemed to draw their attention to him

"Yes. We must accomplish one mission that will end this conflict once and for all, and write our names into history. It won't be easy - the enemy dug down deep. It is their land, they know every inch of it, they are ready to fight till the end of days. But it will not save them!" - he screamed. "We will prove our superiority! We will prove the dominance of Crystal Empire in this region!"

"YEAH!" - the soldiers screamed in chorus.

"Tomorrow, we will march onwards, and we will take Sky Dome!" - he screamed, and the air boomed with their screams of resolve.

"Many of us will die. Many good ponies will die for the future of the Empire - many already have. Tomorrow, we shall march onwards to avenge those good ponies, to show these flying pricks they are no match for us! WE! SHALL! PREVAIL!" - Sombra shouted, and the army raised their hooves in support. They were ready. And they trusted Sombra to lead them - he already proved himself by the battle of the fortress.

However, Sombra still had some doubts about this, but he quickly drove them away. Now, he will await for the reinforcements and the air-balloons. Then they will set on march to victory.

Sombra was a bit worried about Legio Eternum - will the seasoned veterans follow the command of an amateur novice? Who knows, but it is their duty to obey. Sombra will try his hardest not to disappoint them and the Emperor.

* * *

Sombra's army have made a temporary camp in the grove, not far from the Sky Dome. They tried to hide themselves as good as they could, but it was quite hard, with all the air-balloons they had to load onto the wagons. Emperor was generous - he send at least five air-balloons. They were quite large, and required at least ten ponies to operate. However, they were perfect for dropping soldiers behind enemy lines. In this case, they were needed to even reach the damn town.

Sombra was looking through the binoculars at the town. It was crowded and busy, merchants going on their way, carrying the goods on their backs. Every corner was filled with guards and soldiers, and there were even more on the walls - yes, they had walls.

"Shit... There are so many of them. Are you sure we can take them?" - one of the scouts said.

"Legio Eternum is with us. However... you are right. They are heavily fortified and they are plentiful. Get back to the camp, I'll come up with a plan" - Sombra ordered, and the soldier obeyed. Then, Sombra delved into thoughts on how they should siege this town.

Go for a blockade? No, the Emperor made it clear that the time is short, as the negotiations will start soon. Direct attack? May work, but the casualties will be tremendous. Bombardment? They will quickly swarm around the artillery and destroy them.

It seemed the time has come. The devastator barrage was but a preparation - now, he will truly use the full potential of his dark magic.

Sombra quickly walked back to the camp, accompanied by scouts. When they arrived, he ordered to prepare the air-balloons for takeoff.

"Sir... it's broad daylight. Are you sure it's a good idea?" - a soldier asked, and Sombra smiled.

"Do not worry. It's the part of the plan. They don't expect an attack right now - the streets are filled with civilians, the guards are too busy catching muggers, resting and training. I will cloak our balloons - and we will attack out of nowhere, dropping our troops right on their head" - Sombra explained.

"Many pegasi civilians will be caught in a crossfire, Lieutenant" - the soldier noted.

"Aim for the military constructions, like armories and barracks. If we are careful, we will decrease the casualties among peaceful civilians to minimum" - Sombra answered. There is no need to kill them all - the soldiers are the enemy, not the common folk.

Before inflating the air-balloons, soldiers carefully put sticks and leaves at them, and painted them green, in order to preserve the element of surprise. As they were slowly filled with hot air, devastators were attached to their sides, so, when above the city, they could bombard the critical points of the town.

The potions of cloud walking were given to troops at extreme rate - its duration was just six hours, and who knows how long it will take to capture the city. Soldiers were also given one potion extra - in case the battle turns out longer than expected.

To drop off troops into the town, Legio Eternum created special capsules - gigantic crystals, which any crystal pony can touch and become a part of it, infusing his or herself with it. It fit inside a gigantic amount of soldiers, but could only release ten, with cooldown being one minute. The air-balloons will have to chain these crystals to themselves and keep them in the air while they release ponies. The crystals were light enough not to slow down the air-balloons, but, unfortunately, they fall through clouds. Two air-balloons out of five were designated to carry the crystals.

As the air-balloons were filled with hot air, Sombra delved into his mind, looking for memories powerful enough to provide him energy for this spell.

As bright flashes of pain and suffering of his childhood appeared, his horn started glowing black, and his eyes turned acid-green. The red pupils were glowing red, like two light in the endless sea of darkness. The dark energy started whirling around him, howling and cracking from its own power.

Sombra remembered everything - he remembered what horrible wound Visio Aeternum granted him. He remembered the evenings, alone in his room, with cuts and bruises from his father's another drunk party. He remembered Krystal's eyes as she looked at him, drawing her last breath.

The hellish energy slowly gathered around Sombra, as he channeled it towards the air-balloons, surrounding them in a shroud of darkness. Soon, all five of them were covered in dark clouds, as the black color slowly faded, turning these shrouds completely white.

Sombra opened his eyes, looking at his work - now, the air-balloons were not different than clouds. Legio Eternum and a big amount of his unit were fused into the crystal, ready to strike when time is right. The rest of the soldiers stayed on the ground, in order to provide cover if the retreat will be necessery. Sombra barely managed to crawl onto one of the bombing balloons - the spell drained him almost fully. One of the soldiers helped him to get on, and Sombra collapsed on the floor. The dark energy was still whirling around his horn, causing memories to appear.

"Take off..." - he said in a weak voice, and the balloons flew up into the air, slowly moving towards Sky Dome. Unicorns started charging the devastators, preparing to strike at the enemy whenever they reach the town.

They were ready, and the battle for Sky Dome was about to begin.

* * *

The streets of Sky Dome were crowded and busy as always in this time of day. Pegasi were going on their usual business - shopping, jogging, or flying around.

Every street was patrolled by a squad of soldiers, but that didn't worry citizens one bit - being a border city and having Commander Hurricane as a ruler taught them not to be afraid of invasions. Instead, children were jumping around the soldiers, asking to give them an autograph or a piece of their armor, or even a blade. Most soldiers just playfully said no, and instead offered them candy. Other just didn't pay attention.

At this time, on the watchtower, built from clouds, a young pegasus and his father were looking at the horizon.

"Dad, why do we have to stay in town all the time? I really wanted to visit Cloudsdale this month" - the kid asked, looking at his father, who was dressed in full body armor.

"Snelheid, I told you before - there are trouble at the borders" - he answered, fixing his shoulder plate.

"What kind of trouble? You never tell me that!" - Snelheid answered, sounding disappointed.

"Okay, I'll tell you. Just don't tell mommy that I told you, okay?" - father replied, like he was about to tell a secret of national importance. The kid looked excited.

"Do you remember what you read in history books about Crystal Empire?" - father said, and Snelheid nod. "Long ago, there was a war between them and our Republic. In that conflict we lost a good chunk of our territories. Now, many years later, Commander Hurricane has decided to return these territories"

"Wow... So these crystal ponies are bad, if they took our land from us?"- the child asked.

"Not really. They just... emm... not really like to share" - father replied.

"Oh... okay" - the child said, and his father sighed with relief. Explaining politics to kids was really hard.

"Dad, what if they come here?" - Snelheid asked.

"They won't. And if they will, your daddy will drive them away" - father said proudly, and kid started jumping in joy.

"Yes. Cause you're the best!" - he said, and his father smiled, with a little bit of doubt. The news from the frontline were not bright at all - three fortresses fell already. However, not a while ago, Lord Boreas have departed to the peace negotiations - soon, this conflict will be over, and everything will be back to normal.

Despite the nature of pegasi, not all of them wanted war and conquest - in every rule, there are exceptions, and this young father was one of them.

"So, Snelheid, we should go. Mother will be worried if we hang around here for too long" - he said, and turned around. Suddenly, the solidified clouds shook under his hooves and he barely could stand still. He quickly looked upwards and his blood stood still in his veins.

The clouds above them were raining fire. Giant bolts of energy fell from the sky and hit the barracks, evaporating them in a single explosion.

Father quickly grabbed his son and flew away from the watchtower. He wanted to get to his family and get them out of here, as he flew past the soldiers, rushing somewhere and other pegasi, running away.

* * *

From behind their milky cover, the air-balloons rained fire upon the enemy. Their fire was very concentrated, as they aimed at the military constructions only, ignoring everything else. The pegasi were at a loss - they didn't understand anything, they flew around, trying to figure out what to do. They didn't expect the sky to turn against them.

Sombra was above one of the drop-off balloons, that was carrying a crystal. Under his command, the bombing raid went onwards, sowing fear and panic in enemy ranks. Sombra noticed, that the pegasi finally started to get organized, gathering in groups and preparing to fly to the clouds that rained fire. It was time for an attack.

The two air-balloons, still cloaked, slowly descended down to the surface of the town. When the crystal, hanging below the basket of the balloon, was close enough, it started to glow, materializing soldiers from the thin air.

At first, they were a bit terrified, and it took them seconds to get used to the puffiness of the clouds. Finally, they turned their attention to the enemy, who was still busy evacuating civilians. Soldiers quickly found good defensive positions and set up a defensive perimeter, as more and more soldiers appeared from the two crystals.

"Quick, take them out!" - Legio Eternum officer shouted, as his brothers-in-arms prepared to attack the pegasi. The regular soldiers took defensive positions inside buildings.

Soon, the bombing stopped, and the battle truly began. Crystal ponies were surrounded by pegasi soldiers, who knew this town perfectly, and felt themselves great walking on the clouds, while many soldiers still had trouble adjusting themselves to this height.

The blasts from rifles and the roars of howlers were heard across the town, as the civilians ran wherever they could. Pegasi soldiers tried to calm them down, but to no avail - they just wanted to ran into their houses, close the doors and wait, praying that the crystal ponies will not storm inside.

Most of pegasi army was already engaged in the hard battle with crystal ponies, trying to push them back to the walls and corner them.

Slowly, but steadfully, Sky Dome's streets were filling with corpses, pegasi's and crystal ponies'. The battle was hard and bloody, but the pegasi were far faster and more eager to fight. In such narrow streets, crystal ponies had no time to aim and shoot, as fast pegasi were cutting them down.

Crystal ponies, hidden in the buildings, had far more luck - sometimes, they were even able to suppress the enemy, but that didn't help as they were quickly flanked. It wasn't going well at all.

Sombra looked down, and saw his forces getting separated, and slowly driven away from each other. The crystals continued to spew out more and more ponies, only for them to be cut from the rest and killed quickly.

Several divisions managed to push pegasi back, and even advance, but most of them were cornered and outnumbered. Sombra had to come up with a plan - otherwise, they will all die down here. What could help them in this situation? Suddenly, an idea came to his head. If the bombardment resumes, it will cause great damage to the enemy, as there are more of them, and, therefore, much more of them will be caught in the blast radius. Also, it will clear out an good area, allowing crystal ponies to aim and shoo freely, without having pegasi hide behind the buildings.

But he also saw the civilians running back to their homes. Most of them are holed up at home, hiding in closets, praying for safety. If Sombra decided to proceed with this maneuver, the body count will be tremendous. It was time to decide - lives of peaceful pegasi, or lives of his soldiers.

"Fire at the city blocks! We need to support our troops!" - Sombra growled the order. The unicorn staggered for a bit.

"Sir, there are no more military constructions we can hit without killing innocents" - he warned Sombra, which annoyed him.

"We're losing this fight! We need to support our troops - they are getting slaughtered! Fire the fucking devastator! That's an order!" - Sombra shouted in an angry voice. But this unicorn didn't wish to accept such a sin.

"Sir, I'm not going to shoot at the unarmed ponies! That's dishonorable... No, that's even worse! That's monstrous!" - he shouted, which infuriated Sombra.

"You dare to disobey the orders of your superior?! My soldiers are dying down there, and if I have to throw you away from this balloon in order to save them, I will!" - he growled. "You two, restrain this idiot!"

Two other unicorns quickly subdued the insubordinate soldiers, and tied him up. Sombra then commanded them to open fire. They quickly ran to devastators and started charging them.

Sombra took the place of that moron, and charged the devastator, ignoring the pain it caused him. Finally, they were able to shoot. The air was shaken from the power of the blast, as the bolt of energy fell down, piercing the air, and burning anything that would get in its path. As energy was cracking and letting out little discharges through the air, the reaction started, which would set off this magical bomb and turn anything within its blast radius into blazing inferno.

* * *

"Breeze, get to the position!" - the captain shouted, as Breeze ran towards the cover. Wow, this must be the worst day of his military career - having enlisted not a while ago, he already fights to protect Sky Dome.

He managed to jump into the cover just before a shot from the rifle popped the head of a nearby pegasus like a balloon. The blood splattered all over the place, and even Breeze got a little bit on himself. This made him sick. However, his father quickly swooped down and pushed him out of the cover, just in time, as a barrage from the howler tore in into pieces.

"Dad, thanks! I owe you!" - Breeze shouted, quickly rolling into another cover.

"You're welcome!" - father said, ducking behind a piece of wall.

"Have you got mom and Snelheid to safety?" - he asked quickly, as another shot blasted off a piece of his cover.

"Yes! Now, get the hell out of here! Get to them and get out of the town"

"No way! I am not leaving you alone here!" - he responded and flew out of cover, towards the crystal ponies. He dodged every shot fired at him, and crashed into one of them, piercing his throat with a blade. This inspired other pegasi to rush forwards as well. Some of them fell down, dead, but it enraged others to fly even faster.

As Breeze fought through the building, killing any crystal pony he could find, he noticed somepony hiding in the closet. He quickly opened it, only to notice a little filly, hiding in the pieces of cloth. Breeze looked around - his comrades were already clearing out the rest of the house.

"Come here, little one, I won't hurt you!" - he said, and took the little girl, and slowly walked out of the building, trying to shield her eyes from the carnage that was happening.

Breeze finally left the building, slowly going forward to the cover, in order not to disturb a child. To calm her down even more, he started to sing a lullaby, quietly. He didn't know many, but he remembered one that mother sung to him while he was little.

"Blow the wind, blow;  
Swift and low;  
Blow the wind over the ocean.  
Breakers rolling to the coastline;  
Bringing ships to harbor;  
Gulls against the morning sunlight;  
Flying off to freedom!" - he sung quietly, lulling the child, as the battle raged on around him. Finally, the baby closed her eyes, and now she was seeing some peaceful dreams. Breeze looked up, and saw his father running towards him, shouting something.

"Breeze! RUN!" - the sound reached his ears, as Breeze sneered - the building is clear, what he should run from? Besides, the child has just fell asleep - he doesn't want to disturb her. He doesn't want to hear her cry.

* * *

The energy blast has finally reached its target. It hit the building and exploded into giant shockwave of energy, destroying the building in a matter of seconds. It unleashed a wall of fire, as it continued its way through the blast radius.

Breeze smiled at his father, as the wall of destructive magic reached him, quickly consuming his body in a endless wall of fire. His flesh quickly turned black as it turned to ash. The child opened her eyes one last time, before the fire consumed her as well.

The blast reached father, as it thrown him away, smashing him into the wall, which collapsed right on top of him, and continued its way forwards, evaporating everything in its path. It didn't matter who you were - a child, a soldier, mother or father, the energy turned everything in its way to dust.

Several more blasts fell into streets, exploding and destroying everything in its path. Pegasi were shocked by this, and crystal ponies were quick to use it to their advantage, as they pushed back, killing pegasi in hundreds. They used this momentary distraction to seize the situation and they were not going to lose it.

Sombra looked down from above, and saw his troops pushing the enemy back through the burned out streets and smoldering ruins, which used to be houses. The pegasi trembled and retreated to one logical place - the palace of the governor. It was a big, majestic structure, with a big balcony on the front, from which governor addressed ponies and recited his speeches. High on the top of it, a flag of Pegasi Republic was waving in the air.

"There it is - their symbol of power!" - Sombra said to himself.

His army was slowly enclosing around the palace, shooting at any pegasi they saw. Enemies were pinned in that building, trapped in their own castle. Sombra's plan worked - the enemy was soon to be defeated.

The Legio Eternum captains led their troops in the brave frontal assault. They used their own armor as weapons, beating pegasi down, while their comrades were showering the enemy with fire.

After the resistance outside of the palace was destroyed, crystal ponies rushed inside, and intense firefight began inside. Sombra commanded to land the air-balloon, as he wanted to join the fight himself.

As he ran towards the palace, ignoring the horrible headache and exhaustion, he prepared to cast more spells. He walked through the corridors, that were filled with corpses, both pegasi and crystal ponies. Pictures on the walls were either destroyed, burnt or covered in blood. Everywhere you look - you see only chaos and destruction.

Finally, Sombra reached the room where the fight was going on - governor's office. It was big, round and filled with corpses. The battle was intense - pegasi and Legio Eternum were engaged in melee, while other crystal ponies were ducking behind cover and picking the pegasi one by one.

Sombra quickly started charging Hasta Odium. The air got heavy, and it became hard to breathe, as dark bolt materialized beside Sombra. As it became bigger and bigger, Sombra smiled viciously - they are about to witness his power first-hoof!

He unleashed this blast, as it flew into the big rubble, behind which many pegasi were hiding. Loud sound of explosion pierced the air, as the rubble flew into pieces and dust, along with pegasi.

After seeing such a gruesome picture, some pegasi dropped on the floor and gave up. The rest followed their example. Sombra smiled weakly, as his strength left him, and he collapsed from exhaustion.

* * *

He woke up minutes later. Sombra opened his eyes, and saw Legio Eternum captain, leaning over him.

"Are you all right, Lieutenant? Can you walk?" - he asked. Sombra nod silently. The captain helped him to get up.

"We won, Lieutenant. We actually won!" - he said, helping Sombra to walk.

"G...good... Can you please escort me to the air-balloon... I don't feel so well" - Sombra said, forcing every word out of his mouth.

"Sir... the army wants to see their commander. Though I can still carry you out, if you desire" - he said, and Sombra looked at him. Army wants to see him? Very interesting. The balcony will serve as a good spot.

"Get me to the balcony. If the army wants to see their commander, they will" - he said, and they slowly went upstairs.

The doors were opened, and Sombra slowly limped to the balcony. He saw the whole army right on the plaza. The instant he appeared, they loudly hailed him with screams of joy.

Sombra walked to the edge of the balcony and leaned onto it. Slowly, the cacophony of screams turned into more clear sound.

They were chanting...chanting his name!

"SOMBRA!" - the loud screams pierced the very skies they were standing on. Sombra looked in shock. The whole army was praising him! Praising him and not anypony else! They were chanting his name, knowing that he ordered the bombardment to commence.

Sombra gathered all his strength and raised his hoof to the sky, hailing his army. They responded with loud screams

"SOMBRA!" - they screamed, and the plaza shook from the power of their voice.

"SOMBRA!" - they screamed, as the sounds of victory reached the depths of hell and the very heavens.

"SOMBRA!" - they screamed his name, inscribing him into the annals of history and their own memory forever.

Sombra looked towards the smoking city, and smiled. He won. He destroyed all opposition and claimed this city. The ruins in the city looked glorious to him, all the corpses of the enemies inspired him. It was him, who was victorious! He won! This is his legacy! The power is HIS!

"SOMBRA!" - the army chanted as they raised their hooves to the sky, as a sign of respect to Sombra. He was victorious today - under his commands this town fell, and the enemy was destroyed. He was worthy of praise.

* * *

"As I've said, you have no right to demand more lands from us!" - Commander Hurricane shouted and hit the table in frustration. Emperor Lux just smiled and drank some more tea.

"You have attacked the borders of the Empire, and you have failed. During this conflict, we have captured more of your territories. Doesn't that mean that we are stronger than you?" - Emperor said, grinning.

"THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYHTING!" - Commander screamed. "This is our land, and we were determined to take it back! Now you want us to give you more? No way!"

Emperor sighed and looked back at his company - Major Metal Eye, First Lieutenant Orthoclase and Lord Sanguine were all here, accompanied by a squad of elite warriors.

The meeting is conducted at the side of the mountain, in a wooden outpost called 'Harbinger of Peace'. A very old name, as many peace negotiations were conducted here. Outside, it's snowing as in the most raging winter, and the cold is just ferocious. However, inside it's very warm and comfy. Though Commander Hurricane doesn't seem to appreciate it.

"Dear Hurricane, what conditions will you accept then? If this seems too much for you..." - Emperor said.

"White peace. Or the war continues" - Hurricane replied in a cold voice. Emperor Lux quickly spat out his tea.

"White peace?! Are you serious?!" - he screamed. The only penalty pegasi will suffer in white peace is that they pay a handy amount of gold to the Empire.

"Yes, quite frankly, I am serious" - Hurricane replied, glad that he could piss off Lux even a bit.

Suddenly, a pegasus, wearing armor and the insignia of the Republic, burst into the room. He looked very tired, barely breathing, and Lux could see many wounds on his body. Hurricane quickly jumped from his chair and approached him.

"What is the meaning of this?! What happened? Who are you?!" - he said, but the pegasus collapsed from exhaustion. It seemed he flew fast and for a long time.

"Commander... Sky Dome... Sky Dome has fallen..." - he said, and closed his eyes.

"WHAT?! HOW?! That's impossible!" - Hurricane shouted, and started shaking the boy. "Wake up! What the hell happened? Who took it?!"

Emperor Lux couldn't help but giggle. Hurricane noticed that and turned around. He was enraged.

"You... piece of shi..."

"Behave yourself, commander!" - Lux replied, grinning.

"How?! Who did you leave behind?! That's against the rules!" - he screamed, coming closer and trying to look threatening.

"I didn't leave anypony behind. I brought here everypony I had in lists. What's wrong?" - Lux said and smiled, which enraged Hurricane even more.

"Hmpf... FUCK!" - he growled, hitting the table again. He grinded his teeth, swore like the last criminal, shouted, but soon, he started to realize.

"Ugh... where's the treaty?" - he said in a downed voice, tired from all the screaming. Lux moved the treaty, which was lying on the table, closer to Hurricane.

Hesitating, quietly swearing to himself, Hurricane put his dipped his hoof into the ink and put his sign on the treaty. Lux moved it to himself and did the same thing.

"Pleasure doing business with you" - he said, smiling. Hurricane looked at him with hate.

"Let's go. We have no more business with these snakes!" - he said. In several minutes, Hurricane and his associates were on their way home

When finally they left, Lux couldn't help but burst into laughter. The plan was a success! Not only they have shown these pegasi, but they gained new territories. All thanks to that boy, Sombra.

"My Emperor, did something happen that I was not informed about?" - Lord Sanguine said, approaching Lux. The Emperor smiled.

"Yes, actually, something did happen without your notice. I'll say just one thing - we owe that Sombra fellow. He performed something almost impossible. Let's go, friends. We have a victory to celebrate and a hero to congratulate!"


	6. Grand Play

The main hall of Crystal Palace was full of ponies. They were all dressed quite fancy and in the fashion - mares had beautiful dresses, and colts were wearing suits. Generals, commanders and other militarists were all wearing their parade uniform, many had their medals and awards displayed.

The hall itself looked very festively - the cloth, embroidered with gold, was hanging on each side of the wall. The tables with food and drinks were placed near the walls, so they wouldn't prevent guests from freely walking around the hall.

Through the whole hall and right towards the Emperor's throne a red carpet was placed. Emperor himself was sitting at his throne, drinking wine from a decorative cup. Two Immortals, ponies who swore eternal servitude to him, were standing to each side of the throne.

Emperor's wife, Virgo, was sitting on her own throne, smaller than Lux's. Puero was sitting near his mother, looking around, interested in every little detail. Virgo prevented him from wandering around - he could get lost in this crowd.

Finally, the soldiers outside played their trumpets, which meant that our heroes are approaching. Everypony quickly drew their attention to the entrance.

Giant crystal doors were slowly opened by guards. Escorted by soldiers from Legio Eternum, Sanguine, Metal Eye and Orthoclase came in. The crowd greeted them with ovations, and the musicians started playing Hymn of Crystal Empire.

As our heroes walked towards Emperor's throne, the ponies saluted and greeted them. Orthoclase shyly looked around and smiled awkwardly.

"So much pathos" - he whispered to Metal Eye, and he nod.

"Yeah. But what can we do - Emperor loves ceremonies" - he replied, as they continued their way onward.

The music of the Hymn was flowing through the air, and after the grand entrance, a chorus started singing the lines. Their angelic voices were like honey, they soother your ears and brought strange peace to your soul.

They reached the Emperor's throne and kneeled before him. The music turned quiet. Lux rose from his throne and started speaking.

"Ladies and gentlecolts, brothers and sisters. Before me great heroes of our nation are standing. You all probably know Lord Sanguine, the General of Legio Eternum, for he has proved himself thousands of times before. He helped our country many times, and yet again, he proves that he is worthy of his title. Lord Sanguine, arise" - the Emperor said, and Sanguine rose and approached the Emperor.

"Hereby, I grant you the award of Participation in the protection of your Empire. Congratulations!" - Lux said, and the whole hall was filled with ovations, as the Emperor attached silver medal to Sanguine's mantle.

"Thank you, my Emperor!" - Sanguine said and stepped away from the throne.

"Major Metal Eye. The majority of his life he gave away to the servitude on the border. He served fairly and loyally, and finally, had a chance to prove himself. And he hasn't failed! Arise, Metal Eye"

Metal Eye quickly approached the Emperor.

"You are awarded with the medal of Participation in the protection of The Empire, and the ribbon of courage and honor" - Lux said, as he attached these awards to Metal Eye's mantle. "But that's not all. Hereby, I proclaim that your days of servitude as Major are over. Congratulations, Baron Metal Eye. From this day on, you are the start of your own dynasty"

"It's an honor, my Emperor!" - Metal Eye said, still a bit shocked from this. Being awarded with the title, especially like this one, is not an everyday occasion. Metal Eye stepped away from the Emperor.

"First Lieutenant Orthoclase, approach and receive your reward" - the Emperor said, and Orthoclase slowly walked to the throne.

"This young pony has shown courage and honor on the battlefield. He was in the war before - as a private, as a soldier. Now, he experienced war yet again, but this time - as a commander. He proved himself to be a very fine commander, and thus, he deserves reward!" - Lux said. "You are awarded with the medal of Participation in the protection of The Empire, and the ribbon of courage and honor. You are no longer First Lieutenant - congratulations, Major Orthoclase"

"It was my duty, o great one" - Orthoclase said, as the Emperor attached awards to his mantle. After that, Orthoclase returned to his place.

"Finally, I would like to address a very special hero of this conflict. He is very young, a newbie, if you can say that. But in this conflict, he played the most important role. It was by his courage and bravery, his commanding skills and tactical abilities that we have not only prevented war, but received new territories for our great Empire" - Emperor Lux said, and stood up from the throne. "Bravely, he lead the army against impossible odds, he lead them to battle, which seemed impossible to win - and he won. Many have died to achieve this victory - but many more would have died if he didn't succeed!"

At this very moment, Sombra entered the hall. He was dressed in white armor, decorated with the diamonds and rubies, and a grey mantle, embroidered with silver. Metal Eye and Orthoclase were staring at him, with their jaws almost on the floor - Emperor wasn't so eager to share the secret of Sombra's act of bravery with them. The crowd's attention quickly turned to him.

Many ponies started to whisper with each other - how could a youngster such as this achieve such a high honor of being invited here? What did he do?

"Ladies and gentlecolts - Second Lieutenant Sombra, the conqueror of Sky Dome" - Emperor Lux announced loudly and the whole hall looked right at Sombra, as he approached the throne and kneeled down.

"My liege, it's an honor for to stand before you now" - Sombra said, bowing to Lux. Emperor smiled in return.

"Oh, please. It's an honor for me to present you your medals" - the Emperor said, and descended down to Sombra. The crowd gawked - it was a sign of great honor, when Emperor decided to descend from his throne to you.

"I award you with the medal of Participation in the protection of The Empire, the medal for bravery and honor, the medal for superior commanding skills and the medal for heroism" - Lux said, attaching the medals one by one to Sombra's mantle.

"Thank you, my liege" - Sombra replied, but the Emperor smiled slyly.

"That's not all. Regarding your feats on the battlefield, I came to conclusion - you do not belong in the regular army. You have displayed such tactical genius and wit that many of generals should be ashamed of themselves" - this remark caused many ponies dressed in uniform to turn red,-"You are not fit to be bossed around by those inferior to your tactical abilities. Stand tall, young Sombra"

Sombra got up, standing tall and proud before the Emperor.

"In the name of Crystal Heart and our glorious Crystal Empire, that stands tall and proud, I hereby name you Prime General Sombra of the Crystal Empire" - Emperor Lux said, and Sombra's jaw almost fell off.

Prime General? But that's the title of a legion commander! That's even above Sanguine!

"M...my liege... I am... grateful for your kindness..." - Sombra said, stuttering horribly. That makes him the youngest pony to ever achieve such a high title.

"You deserved it. Now, go ahead - the feast is already in process" - Emperor Lux said, and returned to his throne.

As Sombra walked through the crowd, everypony congratulated and honored him. The generals were hailing him as if they were common soldiers, and the Emperor's courtiers greeted him as an equal. He even noticed some ladies looking at him in a suggestive manner.

As much as Sombra felt proud now, he also felt some kind of emptiness in his heart. Emptiness he couldn't explain nor understand. This was a celebration - celebration, dedicated to him, but he still felt empty.

"Congratulations... Oh, sorry, my lord" - Orthoclase said, smiling awkwardly.

"Yeah.. thank you" - Sombra replied, looking somewhere away. Then, he was approached by Baron Metal Eye.

"I have to say - I did not expect that. You took the Sky Dome? Wow, boy, just wow. Care to tell us the story of this siege?" - he said, and Sombra sneered.

"Heh... why not?" - he replied, and all three of them found a quiet corner where Sombra could tell his story.

Orthoclase and Metal Eye were very good listeners - they didn't interrupt, they didn't ask questions until Sombra was done telling.

"So, you used dark magic? I never thought that the dark spells of this scale and level could be cast by somepony who never studied in Magic Academy" - Orthoclase said.

"I trained since childhood. Had the books on dark magic, so why not try it?" - Sombra replied.

"Still, you have to be very powerful to cast these spells. They drain your own essence, may even kill you if you're not careful" - Metal Eye noted.

"You don't seem tired at all. Damn, just how powerful are you?" - Orthoclase asked. "I'm glad you're on our side"

Sombra sneered at this comment, but really - just how powerful is he?

"Anyway, I know you're now in the high league... but still... don't forget your old comrades, all right?" - Metal Eye said. Sombra smiled.

"No, friends, I won't forget you. I never forget friends" - he said.

"So, friends, who's up for some wine?" - Orthoclase asked.

"Oh, I'm in!" - Metal Eye said immediately.

"Hmm, a little bit won't hurt" - Sombra said, pouring himself a small amount. He doesn't drink, but the situation allows.

* * *

Sombra looked around his room. It felt strange - to finally have a home, after so many years of living in barracks. As the nobility of higher class, Emperor granted him a fief of land along with a big mansion. It was comfy and fancy, with servants already running around, cleaning every speck of dust so their new master would not be disappointed.

The room itself was huge, with double bed and a balcony. There was also fire-place, just against the bed. There was also a cupboard beside the bed.

It was quite weird to get used to the size of the house - instead of having a bookshelf in his room, Sombra had a whole library downstairs. Instead of a small kitchen, there was two rooms - a dining room, and the kitchen itself, where servants cooked and served the dishes.

Sombra's mind was on the different subject - he thought about his limits. As Orthoclase said, the dark spell he used to cloak the air-balloons were high level, very difficult to cast, and yet he did it, without professional training. What if... he can do more? What if it's just the start to his powers? What more can he do?

Finally receiving his own quiet place in this world, he will be able to study the dark magic, and improve it. Here, in these walls, he will become even stronger.

He looked at the wall. It looks really dull, should probably buy a picture. Or paint a picture himself.

With these thoughts, Sombra went downstairs and found himself a pencil and a big piece of paper. With these simple instruments, he began to draw, remembering his childhood. What kind of picture would soothe his soul and bring peace to his heart. There was only one.

After about three hours of work, Sombra fell on the sofa, feeling tired. But he did - he finished the painting. He looked at it, and warm memories came to his head.

Krystal looked beautiful at this picture. It was in black and white, but even without colors, Sombra looked at this picture, and felt like she was real. He drew her standing on the hill, looking towards the sunset, just like the first time they kissed.

"Don't worry, dear. Maybe... just maybe... one day... we will be together. And if there is a way, nothing in the world will stop me from achieving this goal" - Sombra whispered to the portrait, and, somewhere deep in his soul, he knew she can hear him.

* * *

Hundreds and hundreds of copies of Artem Magistri de Abysso - from different publishing houses, from different writers, were towering in the library. Sombra searched through them all - and there was nothing new. All the spells were easy for him, nothing he couldn't handle.

A servant approached him, bringing another cup of tea.

"Milord, you have been reading for a very long time. Maybe you should take a break?" - he said in a suave voice.

"Yes, maybe. I've looked through it all, and there was nothing new. NOTHING!" - he screamed throwing away the book. It can't be the limit! He can get stronger.

The servant picked the book up and put onto the shelf.

"Take a break, milord. You definitely need some rest" - servant said, walking away. Sombra sighed and drank the tea.

He is so tired. Every day he practices his skills in dark magic, and every time, they get stronger. Slowly, painfully, but they are getting stronger. However, he is extremely limited in what he can do, and without good books or teachers, he can't advance.

His days are also filled with community meetings - many rich people want to see him at their parties. Most of them he declined, but whenever Orthoclase or Metal Eye were invited, he went, just to meet his friends. They told each other stories, and shared something out of their life. However, Sombra was still secluded about his past.

Since every legal way of learning dark magic has been checked, Sombra was left with but one choice - he had to travel to Magic Academy, and ask them to give him the permission to look through the Forbidden Library.

Forbidden Library contains every book that was banned in Crystal Empire. Since getting rid of knowledge is the decision of fools, they hid the books away and guarded them viciously.

The access to this library is only for those who Magic Academy trusts. However, maybe they will listen to Prime General of the Empire. In any case, Sombra decided to take the risks.

Sombra left his house without even locking the doors, knowing that, in case anything happens, his guards will do the job.

His mansion was in one of the most richest squares of the Crystal City. He never ventured beyond it, and definitely never visited his old house - he would do anything to forget about that dreaded place.

Sombra approached his carriage, hopped on and ordered to move out. The Magic Academy is not far from the Crystal City, just three hours of the way.

The Crystal City has certainly changed, for all those years Sombra was gone. It became... darker and grittier. All the ponies started to look much more sadder and gloom than before. Or maybe they always were this way, and Sombra just didn't notice, now that he has somewhat happy life.

Is this how rich people view the world? They look down below, see all this sadness, grittiness and pain, and turn blind eye on it, so they would not hurt their precious skin? Hurt their eyes, looking at the blood and mud?

As the carriage was riding past a poor block, he saw those, who lived in poverty. Ponies were crawling in the trash, looking for food, searching for home, trying to stay alive. Their repulsive appearance reminded Sombra of his father - they too abandoned all hope for future life and just existed, wasting space and time. Such way disgusted Sombra. These ponies disgusted him, just like his father does. They are no different from the very trash they are crawling in, just as lifeless and indifferent to what happens around them.

Finally, the carriage left the Crystal City, and Sombra was able to adore the looks of the country. It looked nice... but after what he saw in Pegasi Republic, it looked so shallow and forgettable. These pegasi, unicorns and earth ponies are so lucky to inherit such beautiful land - and they waste it. Waste it on idiocy like attacking the Crystal Empire.

* * *

The building of Magic Academy was the most unoriginal ever - a simple castle, with the insignia of Guild of Mages. It depicted an unicorn, casting a spell. Seriously, for ponies who delve into the secrets of the universe every day, they had a really poor imagination.

Near the entrance to the castle, two unicorns were standing and talking to each other. Probably the apprentices. Sombra got out of the carriage and ordered the driver to stay here until he returns. He quickly approached these two.

"I am sorry, but where can I find the headmaster? I need to talk to him" - Sombra said, and these two turned their attention to him.

"Who are you supposed to be? Want to apply for the academy?" - one of them asked, and Sombra grinned. The Magic Academy was quite secluded from the Empire, so it made sense for them not to know who he is. He'll let it slip.

"Prime General Sombra. I need to talk to your headmaster" - he said, and the two quickly bowed down.

"He's in the tower, your highness" - one of them replied, and Sombra made his way there. It was distanced from the main castle a little bit, and looked just as unoriginal as the castle.

Sombra entered the tower, seeing stairs. Looks like this headmaster really likes solitude, or just loves stairs. However, Sombra didn't have time to walk to the top, so he just teleported, skipping large parts of the stairs. When he finally entered the headmaster's room, it reminded him of barracks - it was just the same mess.

The walls were mostly covered in bookshelves, filled to the brim. On some shelves there were various ingredients for potions. Headmaster himself seemed to be composing one right now, as he carefully mixed colorful liquids with other colorful liquids. It smelled horrible here, probably some failed potion. The room was lit by many candles on the wall, and a candelabra under the ceiling.

"Sorry.. Can I come in?"- Sombra said, looking around.

"Yes, yes, go ahead. I am just about to finish this potion. Just wait a little while" - the headmaster, an unicorn with gray mane and light-green skin, said. However, Sombra wasn't going to just stand there and wait till this old fool finishes whatever he's doing.

"Listen, I'm in a hurry! I have more important business than waiting for you to complete some potion" - he said in a frustrated voice.

"Oh, young ponies these days. No patience at all" - the headmaster sighed and turned around. "What can I help you with?"

"I need the access to Forbidden Library" - Sombra said bluntly.

"Sorry, I've misheard you. You want to get access to Forbidden Library? Heh... very funny"- the old pony replied, laughing a bit.

"What makes you think I came here to make jokes? You heard me right - I need access to Forbidden Library" - Sombra parried. "And for your information - I am Prime General. So, if you would be so kind, lead me there"

"You can be whoever you want. These books carry dangerous spells and knowledge inside. Not even Emperor can enter without permission" - headmaster said.

"I am the closest thing to the Emperor you will ever get. Do you know what power I possess in my hooves, old fool? I can shut down your Academy by blinking" - Sombra said, as this old idiot's uncooperativeness started to really annoy him.

"Boy, nothing can shut down Magic Academy. Nothing. You're very foolish if you think otherwise. I suggest you do this - go home, and have a pleasant life, Prime General. You have no need for the forbidden knowledge" - the headmaster replied. Sombra really started to get angry.

"What if I tell you that I can handle this knowledge" - Sombra said, as headmaster slowly turned around. "What if I tell you, that I exceeded in the dark arts and there is no way for me around, but to delve into the Forbidden Library?"

"What do you mean by that?" - headmaster said.

"I am Prime General Sombra. I have taken the Sky Dome by using dark arts. You must have heard of me" - Sombra replied. Headmaster started going around the room.

'Sombra, Sombra, Sombra... Where have I heard this name before... Oh, yes! One of our professors told about you... Yes... I remember now. Many years ago..." - the old pony said. "The child, who casts dark spells... Follow me. I'll lead you to the Forbidden Library"

"That's more like it" - Sombra said, and followed him.

They walked away from the tower, and entered the Academy itself. It was just as boring inside as it was outside - typical pictures, crests and banners. Nothing original whatsoever.

Finally, they reached the door to the Forbidden Library. It was the only peace of architecture Sombra could truly admire - it depicted hundreds of ponies, maybe thousands, burning in eternal flame. The door was made from ebony metal, a special magic-created alloy with resistance to arcane and elemental magic. To open this door, you had to know the password. Headmaster approached it and whispered the words.

" Aperire Secretum" - he said loud enough for Sombra to hear, then turned to him. "Remember these words, boy. I trust you with every fiber of my being that you will not use this knowledge at all"

"I promise" - Sombra replied, and the headmaster opened the door and lead Sombra inside.

They went through the dark corridor, only lit by torches on the walls. Finally, after five minutes of walking they reached the Forbidden Library. It was a sight to behold.

The ceiling was at least ten meters above you, and the bookshelves almost reached it. Each bookshelf was filled with books, each of different color, but all of them illuminated such powerful energy, Sombra couldn't help but smile.

"Here it is, the Forbidden Library. Read and learn, Sombra" - the headmaster said, and headed for the exit. "You are likely to spend many hours, maybe days here. I will talk to your servant, and make sure he is comfortable while waiting for you"

"Thank you, headmaster" - Sombra said, and the old pony left, leaving Sombra alone with the books.

Using telekinesis, Sombra picked one of the books from the shelf. It was white colored, with black letters spelling out the name: Viventibus Metalli, Art of Reanimation. Sombra heard of reanimation - it's an art of breathing life into objects. Though creation of golems is not banned, this book describes much more sinister ways - like transferring the soul of a pony into a golem. This book also described the ways of infusing souls with armor, making it the part of the body, like your own flesh.

Sombra read thoroughly and carefully, remembering every little detail he could grasp. His knowledge of dark magic allowed Sombra to understand just what to do. Then, it was time to try it out.

Sombra found a crack in the wall that was overgrown with moss. He tore out a part of it and, piece by piece, made it look like something living. It actually looked like a squished bug, but that's beside the point. Sombra looked down at the floor, and noticed a little cockroach, running around. He quickly caught this little bug with magic and tore away his legs, so he wouldn't run away.

He placed the helpless roach near his figure out of moss, and started the ritual. He tried to slip into the bug's soul through magical channels. It felt painful, and Sombra started to cringe a bit, as he heard all the thoughts that were swirling in this bug's mind. Instincts, hunger, but most of all - fear and pain. This little roach was clinging to life, it wanted to live - but there was no other way. Sombra felt a little sorry, when he started tearing its soul of its weak body.

A little light flew out of the bug's body, and slowly flew towards the figure of moss. The soul struggled and tried to get out of Sombra's control, but what can a little bug do against such power? The ritual was complete, and the figure of moss started beating in convulsions, as if it was alive. This creature tried to walk, but fell down and fell apart. The weirdest thing - it seemed alive.

"Perfect" - Sombra couldn't help but admire his work. This art may help him a lot in the future. Time to move on to something else.

* * *

So much knowledge... Sombra has never felt so powerful before - all this knowledge was like honey. It was addicting, and he couldn't get enough of it - he continued to read, disregarding the exhaustion. Every word, every sentence he memorized, like it was some kind of holy mantra.

There was one book he hasn't touched yet - Deities and Eldritch creatures. Sombra couldn't even imagine what it was banned for - the religion was quite democratic in Crystal Empire, you could believe in any of given religions. Why would somepony ban a book about gods?

That inspired him to pick this up and read. The book was grey, with interesting decorative cover of gold and silver. Sombra opened it and delved into its secrets.

The very few sentences made Sombra realize why this book was banned - it claimed that gods... do not exist. They do not exist in a sense that we suspect. They are quite corporeal. This book told of the ancient race of divine ponies - alicorns. They possessed the knowledge of magic, as well as wings of a pegasus and the strength of common ponies. According to what little of their history is described in this book, they used to rule over every element - fire, water, earth, wind, and even magic itself. They had to power to change landscape to their whim, and control the very sun and moon. They were, pretty much, gods, lacking only one thing needed for full omnipotence - immortality. They can live for hundreds and thousands of years - but they were not immortal, and could still be killed.

Little to nothing is known about that happened to them, but this book said that they, in fact, discovered the secret of immortality, but it was so vile, repulsive and dark, that they abandoned it.

It was an interesting read, and it made Sombra wonder - what is the secret of immortality? How do you become a true god? Maybe he'll try to discover it a bit later, but now, he has to continue his studies.

After many hours of reading, Sombra has found a very interesting tome. It was locked in a special case, protected by magic and chains. Thankfully, the spells were outdated and weak, and the chains were covered in rust - it took no time for him to open it.

The book inside was the most freakish he has ever seen. The dark influence was so strong it made Sombra dizzy. The power it emitted was baffling. The very pages seemed to be filled to the brim with power.

As he read, he felt the knowledge burrow in his brain, entering every fiber of his being. The spells described in this dark book were powerful... and forbidden, dark and vile. Necromancy, blood manipulation, power over mind - everything was here.

This book was the first to be forbidden by Crystal Empire. Written by a sorcerer, who went mad and killed himself immediately after writing this book. It proved very useful for Sombra, teaching him many powerful spells, and he wasn't even through half of the book yet.

Finally, Sombra found the thing he was looking for all this time - Heaven. The way to bring the dead back to life. Unlike necromancy, it will not be some mindless thralls - actual return of a soul back to the land of the living.

"Yes!" - Sombra said, looking at the description. There is a way! He knew it! There is way!

However, the book described that the spell is impossible to cast. Any unicorn who tried to cast it, has been torn apart by energy and their souls were torn into pure energy.

"Only a being beyond comprehension can cast this spell. Deities, gods - only them" - the book described.

Sombra was at a loss - after all these searches, was this all futile? Was it all for naught? However, he was not going to give up. He will find a way to cast this spell - he will pay any price, anything to accomplish his goal!

Suddenly, a thought crossed Sombra's mind - what if... there are others who can study the secrets of this book? What if there are those who may try to stop him from bringing her back? That will never happen!

This power is his and his alone! Nothing will stand between him and Krystal, nothing. Sombra knew, that some ponies will object to his desires of bringing dead back to life - he knew that for sure. What is the best way to defeat a mage? Know, how his spells are casted, to counter them effectively. Well, that won't happen to him.

Sombra put the book back in its place, and walked towards the exit. He got what he wanted, and there was nothing else this library could provide him with. One day, he will return to ensure that this knowledge stays his, and nopony else's. For now, he will return to his house and think about how to perform the Heaven. He will find a way.

* * *

Sombra has returned to his carriage without saying a word. He didn't even say goodbye to the headmaster, he just jumped into the carriage and ordered to ride back home.

Everything has changed now. He has changed. He gained new knowledge, new power, power that can't be rivaled. It was just a question of time when Sombra finally completes his mission.

Sombra was quite surprised to notice that he spent at least a whole day in the library. Now, when he realized that, he felt really tired and exhausted. He couldn't help but yawn through the whole road back home - his eyes were closing themselves. The first thing he's going to do when he gets home is to jump to his bed and sleep through the rest of the day.

* * *

"I am very glad to have you here, Sombra. We seem to have a little bit of a problem" - Emperor Lux said, sipping the wine from the chalice.

"I will be honored to serve you. What seems to be the problem?" - Sombra said, bowing before him.

"There are some... disobedient subjects in the mines to the west of here. Take some troops with you, and make sure they go back to work by the end of this day" - Lux said, without even looking at him.

"Yes, my Emperor" - Sombra said and went away to meet the troops he will be commanding.

Emperor's behavior started to piss him off, as of late. He did nothing but gave orders, commands and other idiotic stuff. One time, he forced Sombra to go on a parade, regarding the Day of Love. What the hell was he thinking? Sombra is a powerful unicorn and Prime General, not some celebrity you can invite to your birthday!

To be fair, Emperor in general started to annoy Sombra. He never displayed his power, and preferred to appease the people and indulge them, instead of commanding and building a strong country. Sombra started to think that Lux isn't even that powerful. However, he is still his Emperor, and he has to obey.

His troops were a squad of new recruits, this is probably their first mission. However, Sombra still couldn't guess why would Emperor send him, Prime General, the arch commander of Crystal Empire's armies to deal with some strike.

Sombra looked at the troops, and grinned. What a bunch of amateurs. They look like they are afraid to hurt a fly! That's what serving in the central sectors does to you - it makes you soft. The ponies on the borders - those were the real deal.

"Prime General, we are ready to move towards the town" - the soldier said, hailing him. "We are honored to be lead by you"

"Good. Then take your rifles and some howlers. We might need them" - Sombra said, and the soldier looked at him with disbelief.

"My lord, they are just workers..." - he said, and Sombra just barely held himself back from punching this moron in the face.

"We're not going to shoot them! It's for intimidation, you..." - Sombra said, slowly calming down. Having received the answers he desired, the soldier ran away to pass the command to the rest of the squad.

Soon, all the weapons were loaded, and the squad was ready to go. It will take them about three hours to reach the mine, considering there aren't that much of them.

While on their way, Sombra looked outside, watching the forests and hills fly past him. So featureless and grey, it put him to sleep. He just hoped that they will reach the damn mine in time, and he can go back home.

Finally, Sombra and his forces arrived to this little mine town. It looked very poor, as old houses were made out of wood, that went rot in places. The streets were dirty and filled with mud, no actual roads were constructed - only what formed after hundreds of hooves went through here.

Sombra jumped off the wagon, and landed right into a puddle of mud, splashing it all over his new mantle.

"Ah, damn it!" - he said in frustration. Death damn these towns, why won't they just clean up?

"Lord Sombra, the strikers are just up ahead" - soldier informed.

"Good. Let's talk to them... Fuck, I hope this dirt can be washed off!" - he said in an angry voice. He's been here for several seconds, and this place is already annoying the hell out of him! What did Emperor think, sending him here?!

The workers were standing in front of the mine, smoking or drinking. The smell of alcohol, tobacco and sweat they emitted was just vomit-inducing. But Sombra pulled himself together and approached the strikers.

"What's the hold up? It's the middle of the day, all ponies are working right now - so what the hell are you doing?" - Sombra asked, looking at one of the workers. He lazily turned his greasy head towards Sombra.

"We're not going back to work, until Emperor Lux comes here himself and sees in what kind of conditions we have to work in" - the miner said, his breath smelled like alcohol.

"I am here. Is that enough for you? Get back to work, now. Don't waste my time" - Sombra replied.

"Who are you supposed to be? You don't look like Emperor to me" - one of the workers said, barely standing.

"Prime General Sombra. Hero of the Crystal Empire, the Conqueror of Sky Dome. Are you satisfied?" - Sombra said, raising his voice. This pathetic rabble started to annoy him greatly. Just who do they think they are to talk to him in such a way?

"You're no Emperor. Get out of here. We don't care what Domes you took, go away, milk drinker" - another replied. Several of workers shouted in support to his words.

Sombra was enraged. So, this is what the heroic deeds are accounted for in this rabble? Just several years after, when the danger is far past, and they are ready to forget your heroism and laugh at your age? That's their gratitude?! That's what giving your all accounts for? Laughter and insults?!

"You pathetic piece of trash!" - Sombra growled. "Who the fuck do you think you are?! How dare you?! I am the Prime General! I AM SOMBRA!"

Enraged, he turned to the officer beside him.

"FIRE!" - he growled through his teeth. The officer hesitated, but one hateful glare from Sombra's rage filled red eyes was enough to persuade him.

"Fire at will!" - the officer shouted, and the soldiers opened fire. The rifles growled and several of the miners fell down with horrible wounds. The panic started, as they ran away, screaming like little girls. Workers who were close to those who were shot just stood still and looked in disbelief at their comrades' bleeding corpses.

"Go back to work. Or do I need to kill you all and replace you with another set of workers, who are actually better than your sorry asses?" - Sombra said, approaching one of them. The worker looked at him, and Sombra felt his fear, crawling in his soul like roaches.

"Ye...Yes...YES! We'll go back to work, just don't kill me! Please, I have a family!" - the miner bumbled, falling to his knees. "Please... have mercy"

"Yes, crawl. That's all you're good for, you insolent trash!" - Sombra said, and punched the worker away from him. This creature does not deserve to be near him!

"Get back to work. Leave the corpses where they are - every time you feel like striking, it will remind you of what happens to those who challenge me" - Sombra said menacingly and walked away. His work here is done. Time to report to the Emperor that the work is done, and workers are back where they belong - in the mine.

As he walked past, several soldiers looked at him with fear. They could not believe their eyes and ears, that they will be ordered to shoot at their own. This was incomprehensible. Sombra didn't notice as several of them gathered and decided to report to the Emperor about what's happened and what Sombra did - it can't go unpunished. Whoever he is and whatever he did - he can't choose who lives and who dies.

* * *

Sombra entered the palace and kneeled before the throne.

"It is done, your highness. The miners have returned back to work" - Sombra said.

"Excellent. People are far more encouraged to work when they see their national hero" - Emperor Lux said, smiling. Sombra grinned. Finally, done with this idiotic assignment. It's time to go back to research and training. He still hasn't perfected his skills yet.

Suddenly several soldiers of Sombra's squad burst inside the palace and kneeled before the Emperor.

"What's the meaning of this? You weren't invited!" - Lux said, rising from his throne. Sombra looked at the soldiers with hate - what the hell are they doing here?

"Your majesty, we are terribly sorry for this intrusion, but we thought you need to know... Sombra commanded us to shoot at the striking miners" - one of them said, breathing heavily. He must be scared.

"What?! Is that true?" - Lux asked, and Sombra shook his head.

"No! That's idiocy! Total idiocy!" - he said in an angry voice.

"He is deceiving you, your highness. I stand for the words of my comrade. Sombra did order us to shoot at unarmed miners" - another one said.

"Why, you...!" - Sombra growled, looking in rage at them.

"Enough! I have heard enough!" - Lux shouted. Everypony looked at him.

"My Emperor, I demand these idiots to be executed at once! It's such a dishonorable thing - to accuse your commanding officer!" - Sombra shouted, but Emperor made a gesture so he would keep quiet.

"Soldiers, you're dismissed. Return to your unit and serve with loyalty" - Emperor said, which made Sombra cringe.

"WHAT?! My Emperor, with all due respect, this is outrageous!"

"Yes, it is! The fact that my Prime General orders soldiers to open fire at my unarmed subjects! That is outrageous!" - Lux said, coming down from his throne, and sighing. "Since you are a respected figure among many of my generals, I cannot punish you, Sombra, so let me give you a warning - do not let this happen again. You are not a judge to these ponies - not me, not you. Nopony is. The fact that you're powerful doesn't make you above others. Do you understand that?"

"Yes... my Emperor" - Sombra replied, lowering his head, looking down at the floor.

"Good. You're all dismissed" - Lux said and returned to his throne. Sombra slowly walked away from the hall, continuing to look down.

Just as he suspected. Emperor doesn't show his power, doesn't enforce his law... because he is weak! He is willing to indulge the wishes of those who are below him, doing everything he can to please the masses. Pathetic!

He thought of the Emperor as proud and powerful pony, who gets things done... but he's no different than those crawling in the trash - he's just sitting at the top of the pile.

He isn't worthy to be commanding the Empire. He isn't worthy to be commanding Sombra! He is nothing but a weakling!

Enraged, Sombra returned to his mansion. Fury was eating him - it was unbearable to know that you can do so much more with your power, but you are limited by weak fools and idiots.

Sombra sat down on the couch and looked at Krystal's portrait. It was by the Emperor's bidding that the those books he have studied are banned. Idiot! He was just afraid of those who would become more powerful than him! He's afraid!

Sombra decided that the time has come to act. The time has come for the strong to take over the weak and rule forever. Only the strong have right to rule, the weak have no other purpose but to used to build a perfect world!

Sombra will find the way to get dispose of the weak Emperor. Sombra will destroy him, and then rise to power, just as he deserves. Soon, Crystal Empire will lavish in praise and wealth under Sombra's rule. He deserves this!

* * *

The bright light from the golden candelabra, that was hanging under the ceiling was lighting the hall perfectly. The pictures of commanders of the old times were hanging on every wall of this glorious place. The Hall of Bravery, a place where the every general and politician of the Crystal Empire gathered every year to discuss the situation in the country. Emperor Lux was, of course, sitting on as the as the head of the table, looking at his subjects bicker and discuss unrelated things.

Sombra was there too. He was sitting not far from the Emperor, surrounded by Legio Eternum officers and commanders who decided to stick with Prime General. Sanguine was sitting to the right of the Emperor.

Metal Eye, as baron and the part of nobility was also invited. He was sitting far away, discussing unrelated topics, until Emperor will present a theme for discussion.

The noise of bickering and talking filled the room, while Emperor was looking through his check list, finding a topic to discuss. Finally, he smiled and put the list down.

"Friends, I'd ask you to stay quiet for a moment" - he said, as everypony calmed down and listened to him. "Today I want to discuss a problem that has plagued us for many years - problems with agriculture"

Many ponies nod to this. While agriculture was advanced in Crystal Empire, it was quite weak, and it wasn't enough to provide people with food. Because of that they have to buy bread, hay and other recourses from foreigners. Every year the prices grow, so do the taxes, so does the frustration of common ponies.

"What do you propose?" - Emperor asked, and one of the ponies raised his hoof. "Yes, please. Lord Grazier"

Lord Grazier was a rich pony who owned many fertile lands in Crystal Empire, and was in charge of agriculture.

"I propose that we increase the funding of my farms. We need more gold to pay the workers, and for protection - many want to steal our grain" - he said, which made some ponies sigh in frustration.

"Oh, hell no! We increased the funding almost twice last year - no results still! You are not getting any more money, Grazier!" - Gold Crown, the treasurer of the Empire and one of the best economists, said. He was pretty annoyed by having to pay Grazier every year.

"Our population increases. We need more food every year. It makes sense to pay more for the food, since we need more every year" - Sanguine said calmly.

"Idiocy! We don't know what he spends that money on! He might as well be wasting it - we pay more, but the neither quantity nor quality of our food increases!" - Gold Crown replied angrily.

"That's because you leave half of the sum for yourself, you fat pig!" - Grazier screamed in return. These two quickly started shouting insults at each other. The hall was divided into two sections - pro-Gold Crown, who wanted Grazier to improve something first, and pro-Grazier, who demanded to increase the funding. The latter were mostly land lords, and those who profited by selling hay, bread and grain.

Emperor casted a tired glance at this - this happens every year. Every year when they gather around, instead of discussing problems, they start to bicker and fight with each other.

Sombra stayed silent through the whole conversation, and when the conflict reached its peak, he finally stepped in.

"Calm down, both of you. I think I might have a solution to this problem" - Sombra said, as the debaters turned to him. "You all know of three countries that share the lands of Great Plains, yes?"

"Yes... Pegasi Republic, Kingdom of Unicorns and Earthville... what a stupid name" - Grazier remarked. "But what about them? We are already trading with earth ponies and unicorns, and it doesn't do us any good"

"If you shut up for a second, you will hear what I want to say" - Sombra said harshly. "Have you seen their lands? They are ripe with forests, animals and fertile ground. It lavishes in green, like endless oceans. Hundreds of animals live in every forest, thousand of eatable plants are growing on every single small patch of land. And fertile land was what Empire lacks"

Most ponies started to nod to this. Grazier looked at Sombra very suspiciously.

"So, you want us to ask them to share lands with us?" - he said, and Sombra grinned.

"No. I say we take the lands by force!" - he said, and the room was quickly filled with the noise of arguments. "Just think about it - we are superior in military way. We have defeated Pegasi Republic, we will defeat the rest of them!"

"You want us to invade these three kingdoms?" - Emperor Lux asked, and Sombra nod silently.

"We are strong. We are brave. We have the advantage. Victory is a certainty"- he said. Sanguine started to think about this.

"As cruel as it may sound, there have been many food riots. I'm afraid Lord Sombra speaks sense, and we have to listen to him" - Sanguine said quietly to the Emperor. Lux nod silently.

"Everyone, please listen to me!" - Emperor Lux said, and the room turned silent. "I have made a decision. Since nopony but Lord Sombra has offered a sufficient solution, we will prepare for war against three kingdoms"

Many ponies thoughts that was a bad idea, but couldn't offer anything instead. Those, who supported Sombra, were triumphant.

"My liege, may I suggest something?" - Sombra said, sitting down.

"Yes, of course" - Lux replied.

"You should lead the army personally. Our army will be encouraged to move onwards and never give up, besides, you will be able to control all of your generals, in case they want to... pillage the land" - Sombra offered.

"That is actually a very good idea" - Lux said, much to Sanguine's displeasure.

"Sir, that is an idiotic idea. You shouldn't do that!" - he said, but Lux didn't listen to him.

"Sombra, you stay in Crystal Empire and protect its borders while I am gone. I hope you won't disappoint me anymore" - Emperor said.

"Of course, my liege. I will keep steady watch over this land while you are gone" - Sombra said calmly. Lux was pleased - it's good thing that Sombra learned a lesson in humility.

The meeting has ended two hours later, and Emperor Lux went away with Sanguine and some others generals whom he trusted the most to discuss the plans to attack. At the same time, Sombra approached Metal Eye.

"How's it going?" - Sombra asked and Metal Eye sighed.

"Like shit. I much more preferred the life of a soldier, than this pool of snakes" - Metal Eye said, looked around and led Sombra to a quiet corner where they could talk. "I'll be fair with you - Emperor Lux is a total... dipshit! He surrounded himself with all kinds of snakes and morons, and expects me to dance to their whim! It sickens me!"

"Hmm... I understand you, my friend. I too realized the... incompetence of our monarch" - Sombra said. "Did you see how fast I managed to convince him for the need of the war?"

"Yes... what's on your mind?" - Metal Eye said, and Sombra grinned.

"Our Emperor is nothing but a tool, and I just manipulated him. That means he's not fit to rule - true monarch follows his will, not other's. We need to get dispose of him" - Sombra said, and Metal Eye looked shocked.

"You mean.. a mutiny?... I should be disgusted but... I feel that you are right. Lux is not fit to rule" - Metal Eye said. "But how are you planning to do that?"

"This war is nothing but a trick. He will leave with giant army, leaving little to nothing to defend the borders. While he is busy fighting, I plan to assemble my own army. We will get the support of the generals who, just like us, would like to see Lux dethroned" - Sombra said, and Metal Eye smiled.

"Good, cunning plan... But this war... what if he loses it?" - he said, and Sombra sneered.

"Doesn't matter. I will take over Great Plains anyway. This is what I need you to do - get Orthoclase into our cause, and convince him to send spies to Emperor's army, to watch and observe closely what tactics the three kingdoms will use against us" - Sombra said, as Metal Eye nod, smiling.

"I will do just as you say, Prime General. When you become the Emperor, don't forget about your friends, okay?" - he asked.

"I never forget my friends. Let us go. We are drawing attention" - Sombra replied, and they left the Hall of Bravery.

The stage has been sent, and the pawns have been sent away to die. Let the Emperor bathe himself in rays of golden glory and fame . Soon, he will realize how weak he is.


	7. Union

Emperor Lux, dressed in his best armor, was standing on the top of the hill, overlooking the field, where the next battle shall commence. He breathed in, feeling the fresh air streaming down his lungs. The birds were whirling and chirping, unaware of the oncoming war. This land was drowning in green, Lux hasn't seen so much green in his whole life.

Sanguine was beside him, his loyal friend and general, who won many battles for him - not it's time to win once more. However, he looks very sad.

"What seems to be the problem, Sanguine? Something bothering you?" - Lux said in a friendly voice, looking to the horizon. Sanguine approached Lux and stood right beside him.

"These are beautiful lands. Do you really wish to scar them with war?" - Sanguine said, looking around.

"We may scar these lands, but we will rebuild them afterwards. We will make them blooming and fruitful lands again. Think of the next generation - they must not think of the hunger. They must think of games they should play in the noon - that is why we fight. We fight today, so our children play tomorrow" - Emperor said.

"But what about the children of these ponies? Children of earth ponies, pegasi, unicorns? What will happen to them?" - Sanguine asked, looking at Lux.

"Sanguine, my friend, I never thought you would become such a philosopher"

"I have fought countless battles to protect Crystal Empire. This is not protection, this is conquest. This is below us"

"Sanguine, sometimes we have to take the fall, so our children will look back, and damn as for our sins, but praise us for what we brought them. I do not wish harm to the ponies of these lands - they will join our mighty Empire as its part, and they will live in peace" - Lux said, and Sanguine sighed.

"As you say, my Emperor" - he said, and went back to the army. It was truly a magnificent sight - the tents and wagons were stretched from this hill to the horizon, as far as the eye can see. Emperor was certain in his victory, but he still assembled a great army. He wanted this to be a glorious war, just like in the stories of old. Just like a prophet who finds and guides the lost lamb, he will enter these lands and enlighten its inhabitants. Sanguine didn't like this idea at all, but he had no choice - he made a promise to serve the Emperor, and he will keep it.

The battle between crystal ponies and the pegasi will soon start. He better prepare himself and the troops.

* * *

A little foal was slogging through the streets of his hometown, looking for food. He looked through every trashcan and forgotten alley he knew, but he didn't find anything eatable. The hunger was driving him mad.

He will have to return home without food - again, and again his father will beat him up. He always does when he comes back without food, or when dad just feels like it. Mother doesn't try to stop him - she is always gone, as dad says, 'sleeping around with rich fucks'. Little foal didn't know what that meant, and thought that she was just looking for a place to sleep.

Suddenly, on the fence he used to pass by, he saw a poster. The boy came closer to take a closer look. It depicted Sombra, the Hero of Crystal Empire, the boy heard a lot about him, and behind him a giant army of crystal ponies, dressed in armor and armed to the teeth. Under this picture, there were words, written in bright red ink, so they could be seen from far away.

"Your friends and family are fighting on the frontline, in order to gain new lands for you. They fight, so we may eat. However, the enemy is not dreaming - as we speak, they are sending their agents to infiltrate and ruin our empire from inside. Wreck it, tear it apart and claim it for themselves. You can prevent that from happening. Find the local enlistment corps, and sign in to join the Void Watch - a new legion, lead by legendary hero Sombra. Together, we shall protect our Empire from the enemy within and without. Join, and you will be fed, dressed and have a place to live" - the reading promised. The boy quickly read through it, and made his way to the enlistments corps, not far from his house.

He felt bad about leaving father behind, but at least he will not get beat up anymore. He will become a soldier, and protect his homeland... it also said he will be fed.

* * *

"I have to say - this is a pretty smart idea" - Metal Eye said, looking through the papers. "It has only been a week, and we already have a small army at our disposal!... Though they are mostly kids and teens..."

"Good" - Sombra said, looking at the charts. "Kids are more gullible than adults. They can be shaped into a perfect army"

Sombra was very pleased with the results. His campaign of gathering the Void Watch is going perfectly. Slowly but steadfully, this army, that only he controls, grows every day. Being somewhat of a regent during Emperor's absence, Sombra has received full control of propaganda and newspapers - so he made them write what he wants.

The spies, sent by Orthoclase onto the fields of battle bring valuable intelligence whenever the battle occurs. So far the Emperor has only battled pegasi, and very successfully, using tactics that Sombra devised. But it will be only a matter of time when imperial forces engage other types of ponies, and then a truly valuable information can be gathered.

There was, however, a very major detail - generals. There are many of them in Crystal Empire - and certainly not every single one of them will agree to join Sombra's cause. Many respect and fear him - others think him as some kind of joke, and such types must be disposed of.

"Metal Eye, how many generals and officers have joined you?" - Sombra asked, drawing another chart.

"Six. It's quite a lot, considering. It seems that you found quite a popularity amongst the generals, Sombra" - Metal Eye replied.

"Yes, that I did" - Sombra said, smiling. There are still a few very important generals he would like to get on his side - in fact, three of them. They command quite big sectors in the Empire itself, and possess a very large amount of power in their hooves. They must be persuaded to join Sombra's cause - or die. There is no other way - they are too big of a threat to be left unattended.

Sombra arose from his seat and took a walk, stretching his muscles a bit. All these politics are taking a lot of his free time, but he still finds a way to train his magical arts. Every day he improves a little bit more, and that made him a happy pony. If everything will go according to the plan, his reign will begin very soon, and then the whole world will know his power, and the power of the Crystal Empire.

* * *

Sombra made his way through the forest, where general Fortis presumably was. When he arrived at his manor, the servants said that he went to the forest to train.

The trees in Crystal Empire were quite different from any others. Because of the gigantic amount of energy Crystal Heart emits, they were much harder and sturdier than any other tree. Their leaves were completely inedible, so the forests were usually devoid of animals. Their color was much more greyer than an usual tree.

Because of trees' unusual sturdiness, Empire had to buy wood from abroad, but it wasn't much of a problem - many countries shared their forests with everypony, and the prices were quite low.

General Fortis was a very interesting individual. He has been in some wars, and in one of them he suffered a horrible injury - he lost his right hoof. It got completely cut off. As a mark of honor, Emperor used Crystal Heart to empower the artificial limb, made out of crystals, for it to feel natural. Since then, Fortis has some complexes on the matter of strength. He absolutely loses it when he's called weak or assumed to be one. He values power in ponies above everything else - and he thinks that the Emperor is the strongest.

Sombra sneered to himself. He and Fortis will get along quite nicely then. In the end, Sombra is all about power as well.

The forest got thicker as Sombra advanced deeper and deeper, but finally, he heard a noise of cracking wood. He also felt large amounts of energy, floating through the air. Fortis was no joke.

Several minutes later, Sombra came out of the forest and into a field. Flinders and pieces of trees were lying all around the place. The deafening sound of another tree getting brutally twisted flew through the air. Sombra looked up, and saw Fortis floating in the air. His horn was glowing, as a tree, floating near him, was twisting and breaking by his command. Fortis's face was all cringed - you could see he was struggling. Finally, the stem snapped, as flinders flew everywhere. Pleased with his work, Fortis threw the tree away.

"Let me ask you a question" - Sombra said, grinning. "What did the trees do to you? Why so cruel, eh?"

Fortis finally noticed him, and slowly descended down on the ground. The flinders crunched as he landed.

"Prime General Sombra. What brings you here, to my humble training ground?" - Fortis said, approaching him.

"I came to talk. A very serious matter, to be fair" - Sombra said, and Fortis sneered.

"What serious matter? I didn't think you were dealing with serious matters any more" - he said.

"What are you implying?"

"After Sky Dome... you did nothing else of note. You just did what Emperor commanded - but he is wise, he knows what you can handle and what you can't. You don't seem very initiative to me, Sombra. I apologize, but I wouldn't give a position of Prime General to a pony like you" - Fortis said.

"You think I am not strong enough to be on my own? You think I just lavish in Emperor's love, under his protection?" - Sombra said, and Fortis nod.

"Nothing personal, just my humble observation of your persona. You just don't seem like strong and smart enough pony to deal with serious matters... No offence" - he said, walking around Sombra.

"Ha! Very brave words... but insulting and wrong. Since Emperor is at the frontline, and I am in charge, I can perform whatever action I deem necessary. But... I am a pony of honor, and that's why I challenge you to a magic duel" - Sombra said, and Fortis seemed to be surprised.

"A duel?... Hmm... Where and when? I accept your challenge! It will be an honor for me to defeat you" - he said, smiling.

"Why waste time? Right here, right now" - Sombra replied. Fortis smiled and took a fighting stance . Sombra did the same thing.

They looked each other in the eyes, noticing every movement, every speck of energy coming from each other. Sombra smiled - this will be fun.

Fortis attacked first, as he charged forward, forming a wall of energy in front of him, planning to use it as a battering ram. His formidable speed allowed him to reach Sombra in little to no time, but he managed to counter this move, by summoning a pillar of energy to use it as cover. Fortis rammed into this pillar, as both his wall and Sombra's cover disappeared.

This staggered Fortis for a second, allowing Sombra to counter-attack. Sombra unleashed a rain of fireballs, but not even one reached its target. To keep on the offensive, Sombra quickly teleported to Fortis and punched him right in the face, knocking him back.

Fortis took several steps back, trying to keep his balance. Sombra quickly rushed forwards to deliver another punch, but Fortis casted a small lightning bolt. It didn't hurt at all, but it staggered Sombra long enough for Fortis to recover.

"Agh, you fool! You're in for a beati..." - Fortis shouted, but a quick bolt of darkness into the chest knocked him right into a tree, which snapped in half. Sombra grinned: first rule of combat - fight, don't talk.

Sombra teleported to Fortis, lifted him up into the air with telekinesis, then slammed him into another tree. He did this at least five times, before Fortis finally broke out of his grip.

He was breathing heavily and blood was dripping from his mouth. He clenched his teeth, and his horn started glowing. Sombra felt a giant amount of energy, streaming to Fortis. He was charging some very powerful attack.

Fortis smiled like a mad pony, expecting a quick win with this attack and fired a powerful beam of energy from his horn. As it cut through the air, heating up the air it touched to incredible temperatures.

Sombra stood still lowered his head, so he would look right into the beam. Seconds before it hit him, he concentrated his power and opened a rift in reality. It looked like simple dark essence, floating in the air, and when the beam reaching it, the essence consumed it, as if the beam was going through some kind of portal.

Several seconds later, whole beam was 'eaten' by this rift. Fortis slowly walked away in fear.

"I.. I put my whole strength into this attack... how is this possible?!" - he said, and Sombra smiled. The air around him started spluttering, as bolts of energy were streaming around him.

The rift reopened, this time above Fortis. From this black void the very beam he casted flew out and pinned him down to the ground. He screamed, trying to block it, but it was too late, as his own energy was tearing him to pieces.

"I give up! Please, stop!" - he screamed, and rift disappeared. Fortis was lying on the ground - the grass below him was turned to ash, and he was beaten up badly.

Fortis barely managed to get up, stumbling and reeling.

"That was very good. You put up quite a fight, I have to say" - Sombra said, approaching him. Fortis looked at him.

"I... I was wrong about you... I beg your forgiveness, Prime General" - Fortis said, bowing down to him. Sombra smiled - this is what happens to those who think of themselves the strongest, but then have to face the truth. Fortis was in his grasp.

"You're... you're even stronger than the Emperor... I once dueled, he was not as powerful as you"

"Then you understand why he must go. Only the strong are fit to rule, not the weak" - Sombra said, and Fortis got up.

"Yes... you are right... Whatever you have planned, Prime General, I will support you... Your power will bring paradise to our empire" - he said. Sombra smiled - this worked out pretty well.

"Very well. I'll take my leave, then. Do not disappoint me" - Sombra said, and took his leave, making his way to the carriage. Two remaining generals will be handled by Baron Metal Eye. He's much more seasoned warrior - he will get in touch with them. Sombra had other matters to take care of - he wanted to personally supervise the training of his Void Watch.

The bulk of his forces were mostly teenagers, young and inexperienced - but they are hungry and ready to do anything for food. Planting the seeds of faith and loyalty to Sombra in them will be easy and simple.

Faith... ah, such a wonderful instrument. It can do many wonders in the right hands. It can crush down armies and demolish entire countries. Of course, if only you know how to handle it, where and in whom to plant the belief. Sombra learned it by watching pegasi, and how bravely they went into fire - they believed, and they had no fear. Unfortunately, belief doesn't make you invincible.

* * *

"Oh my, what's taking them so long! I hate waiting!" - Princess Platinum said, waving the paper fan in front of her face. It's not that it was hot or anything, she just loved the coolness of air.

"My Princess, we'll just have to wait. Don't you remember what your father told you? Patience is a virtue" - Clover the Clever said, fixing her hat.

"Seldom found in mares" - Commander Hurricane whispered to Pansy, his personal bodyguard. Though Pansy was a mare, Hurricane came to trust her like himself, including with his, sometimes, inappropriate jokes.

"He-he... especially in unicorns" - Pansy added, and Platinum grinded her teeth.

"To be fair, Puddinghead is late. Wonder what's holding her back?" - Clover said, looking around.

"Probably digging the dirt as always, that brutish wench!" - Platinum said, checking her coat.

Finally, Puddinghead, dressed in simple noble outfit and a hat, appeared, along with her secretary Smart Cookie.

"Finally! Where the hell have you been?! We've been waiting for an hour" - Platinum said, getting up from her personal carriage. She never got off that carriage, she almost never walked - servants were always dragging her around in it.

"Sorry, had to take care of some problems. Nothing too important, but still, don't like to leave things unattended. So, can we begin?" - Puddinghead said, sitting down on the ground, and the Meeting of Three Tribes began.

These meetings are conducted alfresco, never in a building. They were also quite rare, as three tribes didn't get along with each other, and the Meetings only happened in the time of dire need. This was a time like this.

"The Crystal Empire has invaded our lands, and is advancing fast. They know no fear and no mercy! We have lost so many major battles, the Republic will not last long" - Hurricane proclaimed loudly, and Pansy nod to this.

"Why should we care? You, pegasi, were always quite formidable fighters? What happened? Lost your touch?" - Platinum said, and Clover slapped her over the head. "Ouch! Be careful!"

"Actually, Platinum speaks sense. Why should we help you?" - Smart Cookie asked.

"If they deal with us, they will be coming for you. They want these lands for themselves, all of them?" - Hurricane said.

"Hmm... actually yes, my father did receive a letter offering vassalization from the Empire. Either that, or war" - Platinum remarked.

"I did too. I thought they weren't serious... but it seems Lux means it" - Puddinghead said, making a serious face.

"See? We are all in danger. This Crystal Empire doesn't know when to stop! If we don't stop them in the Republic, they will conquer us all!" - Hurricane said.

"I actually agree. We need to stop them, and to do that, we must be united" - Clover said, and Platinum reluctantly nod. She really hated being with these lowlifes. But her father wanted her to grow up in to a responsible ruler, so she had no choice.

"How can we help, then? We're no warriors" - Puddinghead said.

"We can provide supplies" - Smart Cookie said, and Puddinghead nod.

"Yes-yes. That we can do" - Puddinghead reply. Smart Cookie liked Puddinghead - a responsible ruler, very caring of her people, always cool in her head. She liked that.

"Then, it is agreed. We shall form an union. Union of Three Tribes, and push the conquerors from our lands!" - Hurricane said, and extended his hoof.

Pansy, Clover, Puddinghead, Smart Cookie and (reluctantly) Platinum all crossed their hooves, marking the birth of the alliance. They will fight together, and win this war!

"It's good that we gathered here - we actually have a pretty important battle to happen soon" - Hurricane said. "We need to discuss the strategy. My offer- we will face our foe face to face, let him see all the power our alliance has!"

"With all due respect, Commander, this tactic has proved futile. They just blast us away. We need a maneuver, a trick" - Pansy said, and Hurricane sighed in frustration.

"That's not our way, Pansy! We fight our foe face to face, like warriors!"

"And what did it bring us so far? Several lost wars, and now we are being utterly demolished. Commander, we have to think strategically"

Commander cringed a bit, but agreed.

"So, anypony has any ideas?" - Pansy said, but sadly, all shook their heads in denial.. except Platinum.

She remembered one time her father took her for a walk to a big field. On that day, their general was with them, and he remarked.

"Perfect place for a trap, if you ask me"

"I know! We can lure them into an open field, and then surround them!" - Platinum said, and Clover looked surprised at her.

Not every day Princess comes up with something useful, or even practical... or something that does not involve buying her something new.

"My princess... that is actually a very clever idea" - Clover said, and Pansy nod.

"Open field! Very good - our pegasi will be able to surround them in no time... but they have to be distracted" - Pansy said.

"We will deal with that - we can build some very good fortification in short time" - Puddinghead said.

"It seems that we will have to lure them to this field. Then, it is settled. We just need to pick a field, and a date" - Clover said smiling.

"Fortunately, we can choose the battlefield. If we retreat..." - Hurricane cringed from that idea, -" ... they will follow, and then we can choose the battlefield"

Everypony was quite pleased with this meeting, especially Hurricane. However, this spirit of hostility was still hanging in the air. Long years of cold relationships will affect them for a long time still, as everypony knew, when leaving this meeting - after this is done, it's everypony for himself again.

* * *

Army on the march... A glorious sight, really. When thousands of ponies march hoof to hoof under the beat of a drum - it looks amazing. However, the army of Crystal Empire had a different march whatsoever.

Sanguine was walking near his fellow Legio Eternum. They were eager and willing to fight as always... but the regular army. It didn't matter that they won every major encounter with the pegasi - they were tired. They didn't want to fight - they just wanted to go home. They suffered quite big casualties and it definitely hit the morale. Sanguine tried his hardest to lift the spirit, but all of his troubles were for naught. Emperor Lux continued to talk about easy victory, and inspire ponies with the deed of Sombra. As much as Sanguine knew that was a great feat, it wasn't enough now. Ponies were just sick of war - and he could understand them. They were the regular recruits, some more experienced than others, but they still were no Legio Eternum. They just couldn't take that much of a pressure Lux was putting them through - take three countries in as short time as possible.

Emperor Lux was marching ahead of the whole army, proud and sure in his victory. The pegasi army retreated some days ago, and for these days they were chasing the flying pricks. This seemed very strange to Sanguine - pegasi never usually retreat unless they have been badly hurt. Maybe Lux is right. Maybe the war is coming to an end, and they will go home soon.

He wondered how Sombra is dealing with keeping the Empire stable. Last they checked there were no riots at all - so either he's perfect at what he does, or he's not telling the whole truth.

Suddenly, the armada stopped. Looks like Lux noticed something, and ordered to halt. Sanguine hurried up to the front, to meet the Emperor. Several minutes later, he was standing beside his liege, looking at some kind of constructions in the gigantic field before them. Above the fortifications a flag of earth ponies was wavering, as the wind blew, bringing some kind of coolness.

"What do you think?" - Lux said, looking at the fortifications and smiling. He was sure of his victory, but he still wanted to know his friend's opinion.

"Earth ponies? What are they doing here?" - Sanguine asked. This was deep in pegasi territory. That only means that earth ponies are helping their winged neighbors - and that could only mean trouble.

"I don't like this. I really don't" - Sanguine and Lux sighed in frustration.

"You never like anything! Why are you such a pessimist? We are strong! We can take anything they throw at us. Are you doubting your Emperor?" - Lux said in a sarcastic voice, and Sanguine closed his eyes.

"No, my Emperor" - it was painful for him to realize that Lux treats this war as a joke. Maybe that is because he never was a commander-in-chief. Most of the wars were fought and commanded by Sanguine. But now, Lux has decided to take the initiative.

"Prepare for engagement! We have the enemy ahead of us! To war!" - Lux shouted, as the soldiers prepare for engagement. Sanguine flexed his muscles a bit - he had a very bad feeling about this. But, nevertheless, he walked to his Legio Eternum, and prepared to go into battle.

* * *

Brainy looked over the mound, gazing upon the gigantic army of crystal ponies. The patches of reflected light were hitting in the eyes, blinding him, but he still saw them all. There were just so many of them.

As this ocean of ponies advanced, he quickly grabbed a short decorated horn and blew into it. It unleashed a loud sound, it echoed across the field and flew far beyond its borders. Then, he quickly fell down and covered his head with his hooves - this is going to be messy.

His friends prepared for impact, ready to fight back the attackers. They had but a simple task - hold, until pegasi strike. Simple, but really hard.

The ground was shaking, as Brainy's heart was filled with fear. The blasts of their magic guns were tearing away parts of the fortification, but it still held. Earth ponies prepared their weapons - short blades, attached to their hooves, for whenever the enemy will get close enough.

The minutes were passing, but they felt like hours. Realizing that they can't shoot through the cover, crystal ponies started bombarding them. The earth shook and trembled, when a piece of wooden roof fell off and crushed one of Brainy's comrades.

"Ah! Don't worry, I'll help you!" - Brainy screamed, as he tried to push the piece off the poor pony. He managed to do that, but he was immobilized - poor pony probably got a pair of broken ribs.

"Damn it! Where the hell are these pegasi?!" - he screamed, as tears started to run down his face. He didn't want to die. Not like this, not in this wooden coffin.

* * *

Hurricane was leading the attack personally - it felt so great to feel the heaviness of battle armor weigh you down, as you fight the gravity in order to stay in the air. Beside him were his trusted companions, and one of them was the hero of the whole pegasi race - Wonderbolt. His deeds were legendary, as he was the fastest, strongest and most brave pegasus in this Republic... after Hurricane, of course. Alongside Wonderbolt his apprentice was flying - Shadow Hoof. He was called like that, because he was a bit darker in color than Wonderbolt, who had sky-blue mane and grey skin. They were also best friends, Shadow Hoof following Wonderbolt to all his adventures.

"It's going to be fun! Can't wait to avenge the Sky Dome! These bastards!" - Wonderbolt said, clenching his teeth.

"Yes, these monsters deserve what is coming to them! We'll annihilate them!" - Shadow Hoof replied. Hurricane smiled at these conversations - that's the spirit!

Pansy was to lead another group from the other side, thus putting crystal ponies in a position called 'between hammer and an anvil'. Hurricane shouted to speed up - they are close.

Finally, they saw the enemy, raining fire at earth ponies' fortifications. The bastards were too occupied to notice that they are surrounded.

Hurricane speed up, and so did the rest of his squad. Cutting through the air and wind, like a great eagle strikes down their prey, they hit the enemy army right in the flank, crushing anypony who dared to fight back.

Crystal ponies were engaged in a melee combat, as they were struck again from the other side. Their guns were of no use at this range - they could only try to fight back. Hurricane smiled, as he cut down enemy after enemy with glee. The blood was flying everywhere, and it slowly started to get slippery.

* * *

"NO!" - Lux shouted, blasting away another pegasus. He couldn't believe his eyes!

Just in the matter of minutes Lux's great army was turning into nothing! The pegasi were slowly separating army from one big pile to many small groups, encircling and destroying them. It was a disaster! A trap, a trick! How is this possible?!

He noticed one of the groups running away from battlefield - rage filled his heart at the sight of such treachery! He quickly teleported to them, and stood right in their way.

"Get back and fight, you cowards!" - he screamed, but they didn't listen. Lux was reluctant of this idea, but it was the only way. He fired a beam of energy at one of the soldiers, killing him instantly.

"Return and fight, or you will be executed for treachery!" - he screamed. Witnessing their comrade fall, they turned and headed back into the meat grinder.

With horror, Lux witnessed as more and more of his army was running away in fear. Devoid of all morale, they run away like they had no honor at all.

"No... this can't be" - Lux said, as the fear struck his heart as well. More and more worrisome thoughts were filling his mind, and he couldn't control himself anymore. He looked around, to see if there was anypony around, and ran. Ran as quickly as he could. He felt great shame and pain, leaving his army behind like this - but he won't do any good if he's dead.

* * *

Sanguine watched Lux ran away. The sight of this greatly shocked him, but at the same time, he knew that this would happen eventually.

Seeing their leader retreat, the army was nothing more but bunch of insane cowardly idiots. Those, who had at least a little bit of respect among others, tried to take over and retreat organized, but not all succeeded.

Sanguine shouted at his troops to fall back, ignoring everything that would stand in their path. They lost horribly, and now they have to run.

It was the first time he retreated like this - as fast as he could, unorganized, not as a part of a maneuver. It felt disgusting and shameful to do this, but there was nothing he could do now - the Lux indestructible army was demolished in a matter of hours.

Sanguine felt the burden on his head, as he walked away from the battlefield, and could hear the ponies' screams of joy and victory. He hurried up - they will probably try to find them. Sanguine had to leave this land, and find the Emperor along the way - they had to make up a plan of counter-attack.


	8. Vengeance is pointless

Singing of the birds, the noise of the wind, blowing north-west and sound of trees, slowly rocking back and forth - a perfect melody for a funeral. Today, another officer was found dead, from hunger.

Sanguine couldn't sleep anymore - the images of horrible slaughter were standing before his eyes, he heard death cries in his dreams and endless rivers of blood, flowing through peaceful lands.

For over five days they have been running away from the enemy, towards the friendly border. There was only a handful of them - the rest of the army is probably lost somewhere in this land.

Separated from each other, without higher command, soldiers were surely heading home, only to be struck in the back, as they ran. They were nothing but leaves, falling from a dead tree, and Commander Hurricane has received a chance to justify his name, as they were nothing but playthings in his hooves anymore.

To Sanguine's despair, they haven't met up with the Emperor yet. He has to find Lux - or what kind of a friend and servant he is? Lux needs him in this dire hour, but so far all attempts to find him were for naught - the ponies, chasing them didn't make it any easier.

Sanguine moved closer to the fire - it was getting a bit cold here. The soldiers around the fire were looking hopelessly as the flame was moving in its weird patterns. As Sanguine looked at them, he felt the brutal truth hit him - there was no hope for them anymore here. They can't even search for the Emperor, the enemy as advancing every day, threatening to crush them.

There was nothing else they could do - only run in hope to do it fast enough. As much as it hurt Sanguine to admit - Emperor may be dead already. There is no other way.

"Put out the fire" - Sanguine said, and the soldier nod. They figured out that it was time to move again. They were all tired, they walked for many miles already, even without sleeping. But they still walked, for they wanted to live, desperately.

As Sanguine's forces left their temporary stay, they were all plagued by the same thoughts. They all cursed this wretched land, and that so many died in vain in order to take it. Their banner was bloodied, their army crippled and their souls were devoid of hope. There is nothing for them in these cursed lands but torment and suffering.

Let them have it, Sanguine thought. May these tribes rot in these lands till the end of days. He cursed them with the most darkest words Sanguine knew, but there was nothing else besides that he could do.

The remains of once big army were slowly marching home in despair and shame, leaving their comrades and Emperor behind to certain death.

* * *

Rustlings, noises, whispers in the wind. Howling in the night and screams of night birds. Even Lux's own shadow - everything seemed freakish and monstrous to him. Everything was scary and dangerous.

He didn't stop for a moment, he just ran through all these days. The influence of Crystal Heart granted him improved stamina, so he didn't get tired. The sucking feeling in the gut was still present - and he hasn't ate for days.

Lux didn't want to think about what happened to his army. He didn't want to think about anything. Everything that seemed important now is pointless, letting forward other things. Lux thought about his family. Virgo is probably waiting for him, expecting him to return as a hero, covered in gold and fame.

She certainly doesn't expect a broken pony, covered in dirt and mud, bearing the bloody banner of his fallen army, a coward and a traitor. For a moment he thought that it would be better not to return at all.

However, he couldn't let his little son, the next Emperor, Puero, to grow up without a father. Besides, he just couldn't stand being separated from them. As fear was hurrying him up, Lux hurried up, and started galloping through the forest. The images of his family were in his head, and the only wish in his heart was to see them again, be with them and live happily.

The treacherous landscape was to put an end to his misery - Lux tripped on a rock, and fell down the hill. Every hit felt like he was being stabbed. The rocks were painfully injuring him, as he rolled downhill, smashing into everything in his path.

Finally, his fall was stopped by a simple root, sticking out of the ground. Lux didn't have time to react to affect his descend, and he slammed into the sharp part of this root, which pierced Emperor's back and came out of the chest. The blood quickly started flowing out of the wound and his mouth, as Lux coughed.

This isn't the death the Emperor should receive. They are fit to die in combat, surrounded by thousands of enemies, and ten thousands of bodies. They must die like heroes, not be killed by the nature itself, probably from disgust. But Lux didn't regret anything. The only thing that was bothering him was his family, his son. What will they do without him? How will they carry on? Lux hoped that Sanguine got out safely, and will return to the Empire and watch over his family.

Lux realized just what a fool he was. What an idiot he seemed. Sanguine was right to trust his instincts and doubt his decisions. But Lux didn't listen - he was blinded by pride and the feel of oncoming glory. Sorry, old friend. You were right all along.

The last specks of life were leaving Lux's body, as it slowly turned to crystal. The Crystal Heart gave him power for many years - and now, it will claim the price. As the crystallization was complete, the wind howled, tearing away a little piece that was Lux's tear. After that, his body shattered into dust, millions of little sparkling particles. The wind caught them in its grasp and carried away this dust, away from this lands into a better world.

* * *

Virgo was walking sitting on her throne, looking with sadness at the emptiness and quiet that reigned in the main hall of Crystal Palace ever since Lux left. He was very sure of his victory, but something in Virgo's heart wasn't letting her rest. This weird sense of danger, born of worry.

Puero was nearby, talking with his nanny. Nothing too important, maybe another game they are playing. Suddenly, she felt this dire need to hold her son close to her heart. She couldn't explain it, but he looked so defenseless, and she wanted to protect him from the whole world.

"Puero, come here" - she said. Puero approached her, and Virgo hugged him, pressing his head against her heart. He, of course, being a little boy that he is, tried to get out.

"Mom, stop it! You're embarrassing me!" - he said, trying to get away, but Virgo didn't let him. She just smiled.

"Come on. I just wanted to hug you. Can't I hug my little boy?" - she said, which made Puero fight back even more fiercely.

"I'm not little anymore" - he said, and Virgo giggled, finally letting him go.

"Of course you are" - she said, smiling. Her son was growing up so fast. Soon, they will have to find a more professional teacher. Lux wanted to personally teach him the art of magic. Virgo didn't protest, though she really wanted somepony from Magic Academy to deal with his training, since they are much better teacher's than her husband.

Virgo felt a little sick from sitting in a palace all the times, and not being outdoors. It have been days since she went for a walk. Would also be good if she takes Puero along with her - boy could use some fresh air.

"Puero, how about you and me take a little walk around the palace?" - she said to her son, smiling. Puero sighed in frustration.

"Mom, it's the same every time. If I go for a walk with you, we will meet some good friends of yours and you will talk for the rest of the time with them. It's boring to just stand around and wait till you finish talking about stuff!" - he replied, and Virgo giggled.

"Oh, and what do you prefer to do?"

"Me and dad play a lot of games outside. Hide and seek, some other stuff! It's so fun with him..."

"So you say I'm boring?"

"Umm... I didn't say that. It's just that spending time with you is not as fun as with dad" - Puero mumbled awkwardly, trying to get out of this situation with pride, but also not to insult his mother. This made Virgo giggle - he was so like his father. Also just as cute when mumbling.

"You should enjoy the time with your mother while it lasts, boy" - a voice interrupted Virgo's descent to thoughts and made her look towards the entrance. Prime General Sombra, accompanied by a squad of Void Watch, a legion created not long ago by him, was standing in the entrance. He was dressed in red mantle, with white fur along the edges. It was held by a metal decorated collar, used by nobles who wanted to stand out.

"Sombra? What's the matter? Did something happen?" - Virgo asked, but Sombra only smiled. This smile looked like a grin of a predator, who is about to devour his prey. Slowly, Sombra walked forwards, and his guards followed him. This Void Watch was creepy - they had masks, made out of black metal, that were covering their faces fully. You could only see their eyes.

"Why are you talking to me in such a way?!"- Puero said in an angry voice. He didn't like when subjects talked to him rudely. Sombra walked to him and smiled.

"It's just an advice. Believe me - you should value every second you spend with your mother" - he said, but Puero only looked at him angrily.

"So, what's the matter?" - Virgo asked again, and Sombra looked at her.

"I brought very... harsh news, my Empress. Your husband, our Emperor... he passed away" - Sombra said, which shocked Virgo to the very being.

"What... no... impossible... how do you know?!" - she said. The fact that Puero was in the room infuriated her as well - what is this fool thinking about, saying such a thing in front of a kid!

"Oh, I know. Because, he's as good as dead" - Sombra said, walking back in forth in front of the throne.

"What is this idiocy? What are you blabbering about? Do you know what I can do to you?" - Virgo shouted, jumping from her throne in fury.

"I do. Nothing. Get her!" - he shouted to his soldiers, and they approached Virgo and violently threw her to her knees, before Sombra.

"Mother!" - Puero shouted, but another soldier grabbed him.

"Let him go! You traitor! What do you think you're doing?!" - Virgo screamed, as the soldiers helped her to stand up, only to put guns in front of her head.

"I am claiming what is rightfully mine" - Sombra said, approached Virgo and knocked the crown off her head. "The strong shall rule from now on, and paradise will reign"

"You will pay for this treachery! Our generals will tramp you down into dirt!" - she said, and Sombra grinned.

"Your trusted generals all serve me. And those who don't are already dead. There is only one little detail left to take care of" - he said, approaching Puero. "Our little heir to the throne. Some foolish peasants will think that the weak should lead them, son of a weak father. This would cause trouble"

"No...NO! Anything, please! Claim your damn throne, anything, just don't touch him! Don't harm him!" - Virgo shouted, as her eyes widened, and Sombra could clearly see the fear in her eyes.

"And what can you offer me?" - Sombra said, turning to her, grinning.

"Anything you ask... anything... just let him go" - Virgo said, as tears started streaming down her face.

"Hmm..." - Sombra said, making a thoughtful expression. "I do not need anything. There is nothing you can offer me"

With these words, one of the Void Watchers grabbed Puero by the neck. Virgo started shouting and trying to fight back, she tried to save her son, but the Watchers were holding her tightly. She looked into the Watcher's eyes, as she saw the glee with which this masked executioner easily snapped her son's neck.

His lifeless body fell down on the ground, as Virgo's soul was filled with despair, sadness and hatred all at the same time. She looked at Sombra, and saw no signs of regret in his face.

"You... you monster! You bastard!" - she shouted, and Sombra gave the sign, as the Watcher, holding Virgo, hit her in the neck, breaking it instantly.

As the last obstacle on his way to the throne fell down on the floor, Sombra felt a little sad about killing them. But it was necessary, for his world has to be perfect for her. When Krystal returns to this world, she will see only perfection, and together, they will rule, as king and queen.

However, Sombra didn't know for sure if Lux is dead. He only knew that his army has been destroyed and the Emperor ran away. He will probably die in the woods, eliminating the problem himself.

At this very moment, Sombra's Void Watch was taking over the country. The loyalist forces were small, weak and separated from each other, and they didn't even know the mutiny happened. They will be taken out in the matter of one day, Sombra knew that for sure.

He walked to the Emperor's throne and gazed upon it. Its slick design was pleasing to the eye, and probably a pleasure to sit upon. He sat down on it, and felt that sense of accomplishment you get when you achieve something great. But there was still much work to be done.

"Inform the generals that the Empress and young prince are dead, and no pony will pretend to throne anymore. It's time to secure my position as the Emperor" - he ordered. The Void Watchers bowed to him, and ran away to complete the command.

Sombra thought about the coronation ceremony. It has to be done to keep the people in check and not sparkle a rebellion. There was also the Crystal Heart. Sombra couldn't wait to finally see it with his own eyes - it has to look magnificent! However, he didn't want to rush the moment, and decided that the ceremony will be conducted at the top of Crystal Palace, in the room containing the Heart. He will address his subjects from the very top, signifying the heights he will take the Empire to. Soon, everything will change. Everything.

* * *

Thousands and thousands of crystal ponies were walking towards the palace, lead by Void Watch. They announced that today is the time for a celebration, and all ponies must arrive to the plaza in front of the Crystal Palace at once. The sky was grey, and it seemed like it will rain at any second. Even the thunder could be heard in the distance.

Void Watch was overlooking carefully over this gathering - so not any pony leaves too early. Those who tried to leave, they politely asked to return back to the crowd, as the announcement that is about to happen concerns the whole Empire. Most were convinced, but some tried to leave by force, and were sedated quickly.

Finally, the plaza was full, and ponies stared at the top of the tower, where the Diamond Hall was. The lightning struck, and it began to rain.

Several more minutes have passed, and ponies started to get impatient, but Void Watch didn't let anypony leave. They formed a circle around this crowd, gently telling those who were trying to pass to return.

Finally, ponies noticed something moving at the top of the tower. It looked like a black shadow, which really designated it on the contrast of the light that Crystal Heart produced.

"Citizens of Crystal Empire!" - a thunderous, deafening voice shook the air. The crowd quickly recognized him - it was Sombra, Prime General and the Hero of Sky Dome. He was speaking from the tower, with his voice magically enhanced so he would be heard.

"Yesterday, the message, that struck horror into my heart, arrived. It was the letter from the frontline... It hurts me to say this, but the Imperial Army has been crushed and utterly destroyed!" - Sombra said, and the hum of shock has reached his ears. "They were tricked, cornered and surrounded. The Emperor... has not survived the encounter"

The crowd looked in shock and fear up at the tower. Emperor... is dead? It didn't seem possible. How will they carry on? Who will lead the Empire?... There is still Virgo, the Empress, and little prince.

"Our Empress was demolished by these... heartbreaking news. She couldn't take this... we found her body in her room, along with the child's. It was...a gruesome sight indeed" - Sombra said, as the buzz and noise in the crowd started to grow and became louder and louder. They were afraid, lost, blind - like helpless children.

"These conditions call for an immediate response. Our enemies will not stop at killing our Emperor - they will come here, they will come for us all! They will come to take our lives, to take our souls, to turn our Empire to ash!" - Sombra screamed, as the crowd slowly turned silent, listening to him. "We must not despair, we must not give up! In these dark times, we have to stand together and fight back! Our Empire must be lead by a powerful leader, who proved himself worthy. He must take upon the mantle of the Emperor, and rule justly, to protect our world from these filthy scum that plague the neighboring lands!"

"Yes!" - one of the ponies screamed, as the rest joined this chorus, as a weak shout turned into vociferous boom.

"Tell me, ponies of Crystal Empire, who should lead you through these dark times? Who is strong enough to carry through these treacherous times?" - Sombra asked.

"Sombra!" - shouted the Void Watchers. The crowd joined them, chanting Sombra's name louder and louder. Through the whole city, many ponies that didn't come to the plaza and preferred to stay at home, heard this chant.

"SOMBRA!" - the deafening shout of the crowd shook the very earth. Sombra looked in pride at what he has accomplished. He has done it! He is the Emperor now!

"All hail Emperor Sombra!" - many ponies raised their hooves, as a mark of respect and admiration. Some didn't, looking carefully around, trying to find a way out, but for the most part, the crowd was excited.

This moment reminded Sombra of his moment of glory - the victory at Sky Dome. That day, the army was chanting his name, praised him - and now, the whole Empire bows before him. It was time to claim his righteous prize.

Sombra turned around, and looked at the Crystal Heart. It sparkled with magical light, as the diamonds of the columns, supporting the roof, were reflected on its surface. Sombra came closer and saw his own reflection - the black mane, that fluttered in the wind as it blew, the dark-grey skin, contrasting the blood-red mantle he was wearing. His eyes were bright red, a mark of his early power.

"Crystal Heart... Give me your power!" - he screamed as he delved into the magical pool that was this big crystal. Suddenly, he felt horrible pain striking every fiber of his being. He felt as the energy filled him, granting him even more power.

The power Heart possessed... was endless. Sombra felt himself as but a drop in the ocean of its incredible magic. He saw the faces of millions of ponies, as more and more energy was filling his body.

The Heart accessed his memories, opening Sombra's mind like it was but a book. It drew energy from his feelings and worries, his memories and deeds of the past. The energy, that was flowing into Sombra, slowly turned black as night itself. The Crystal Heart recognized the nature of Sombra's memories, how much pain they caused - and it reacted, by transforming the energy into something else.

The dark energies surrounded Sombra, filling his veins and very soul. This power was even stronger than before - he never felt such powerful energy... and such horrible pain. The dark memories clouded his mind, as he relieved the most toughest moments of his life once more.

"I... will bring you back... I promise!" - he said to himself. As the memories reached the peak of their power, he collapsed, as hellish energies engulfed his horn. Sombra struggled against them, but it was to no avail - he was like a child, being carried away by a powerful stream.

Finally, the storm started to settled down, and Sombra rose. He felt born anew. The power he received was just beyond godly! He felt like he was able to do anything, crush anypony in his path, any who will dare to stand between him and her.

Sombra looked at his reflection - the dark magic has finally placed its final marks upon him, as his horn changed its color to blood-red. He casted a simple spell, and saw that his energy was pure black - all energy he touched became much greater and hostile. He didn't need to cast dark spells any more - he was the embodiment of dark magic. The Crystal Heart pulsated, as Sombra heard quiet screams. He recognized these screams, as they reopened the scars on his soul - it was his mother.

Crystal Heart was now flowing with dark energy, as it changed color from pure light to slightly dark tone. Even with the power of Sombra's memories, it changed only a little bit of it. Sombra finally understood the full potential of Crystal Heart - it was the ultimate artifact! Inside, it housed so much energy that even he was a weak fool compared to it.

If he can find a way to harvest this energy... he will become the ultimate being... he will become a god! Then, casting Heaven and bringing her back will be matter of seconds.

Sombra turned away from the heart, as weak streams of energy were still coming into his body, and looked towards the horizon.

"Krystal... I promise you - I will turn the world into a paradise for you and me... When you return, you will see no pain in this world, no suffering - it will be perfect. You and me, we will enter this paradise I created, and we will live forever, happily, just like we dreamed. I promise - it will happen, no matter what!" - he said, and, deep inside his heart, he knew Krystal can hear him. One day, they will be together forever again!

The crowd continued to chant Sombra's name, as he looked down at them. He will find a way to harness the Crystal Heart... but first, he has to make his subjects happy. When Orthoclase's spies arrive, he will begin the preparation for the true invasion to Great Plains. The scum inhabiting those lands will know his wrath, as they become fuel to his new war machine. The Void Watch will have a chance to prove themselves soon enough.

* * *

"Lord Sanguine. We are glad you have arrived" - soldier said, greeting him. Sanguine smiled weakly, as his strength was almost at its end. They walked for so long, but they did it - they reached the border.

"Come here. We have food and shelter for you" - soldier in the black metallic mask said, coming into a small wooden building. Sanguine ordered Legio Eternum to rest up. Finally, their trials are over.

Sanguine sat down at the table and lashed out at what little food the soldier brought him. Even this bland ration felt like a dish from the best cooks in Empire. Though these warriors in black masks were unfamiliar to him.

"Who are you, soldier? What regiment, or legion?" - Sanguine asked

"Void Watch, sir. We have been created by Sombra, not long ago. Just after you and the Emperor left to war" - he replied. His voice seemed very young.

"How old are you exactly?" - Sanguine asked.

"Sixteen years old, Lord" - soldier replied, and Sanguine almost choked. Sixteen? That young?

"Sombra accepts everypony, no matter the age. All, who are eager to serve the Empire are fit for Void Watch" - young soldier replied, but Sanguine was still shocked. Sombra was enlisting children in the army! There is seriously something wrong with that pony.

"I have a question to ask, Lord Sanguine. Is the Emperor really dead?" - this boy asked, and Sanguine stopped for a second. They didn't send any messages of their total defeat. Did others already reach the border? No, as long as he knows, they are all dead.

"How... do you know that?" - Sanguine asked, tilting his head.

"Emperor Sombra announced it to the whole Empire. Do not worry - he is already preparing to wage war against these scumbags!" - soldier said, and Sanguine almost fell off the chair. Emperor Sombra?!

"What... how... since when..." - Sanguine mumbled, as soldier noticed his anxiety.

"Oh, you don't know. Sorry. In any case, you should arrive to Crystal City and report to Emperor Sombra as fast as possible. He will explain everything" - soldier said, and Sanguine turned grim.

"Oh, yes, he better explain" - he said to himself. Whatever Sombra is doing , it doesn't seem right. How did he claim the throne? There are still Virgo and Puero, the true bloodline of the Emperor. He either made them reject their titles, or...

Sanguine was horrified by that thought. He has to get to the Crystal palace and find out what happened. The things are looking grim for Empire.

"There's a carriage here, if you want to get to the Crystal Palace quickly. It leaves in ten minutes though" - soldier said, and Sanguine grinned.

"Inform my troops that they should return to Legio Eternum HQ themselves. I need to hurry" - he said, and went to the exit, without even finishing his dish. He swore, that if something happened to Virgo or Puero, he'll tear that tainted unicorn into tiny pieces!

He quickly hopped onto the carriage and gave the order to move out. The carriage jolted, and started moving, slowly speeding up as they left the town. Sanguine looked outside, and prayed to whatever divine being was listening. He prayed for safety of royal family. He made a promise to protect Lux, and now that he failed that, he will at least protect his loved ones and family.

* * *

"So, how do I look?" - Metal Eye said, standing near the throne. He was sporting a new look, fitting the new Emperor - a grey coat, outlined with bright red, with the high collar. It was fastened on his chest with a golden badge, representing his dynasty's insignia - a wide open eye. He came up with it himself and was very proud of it.

Sombra kept the red mantle with iron collar, adding only a big metal crown. It had four spikes on each side, surrounding Sombra's horn. This crown was made not long ago, by a master smith.

"Very impressive" - Sombra replied. Metal Eye walked in front of him, showing off.

"I think it fits me perfectly" - he said, prancing a bit. It looked so idiotic that Sombra couldn't help but hit his forehead.

"Don't do that, please. You look so stupid" - Sombra said, and Metal Eye stopped.

"Really? Okay then, looks like this suit will not fit for dances" - he replied.

Sombra's head still ached a bit after his contact with the Crystal Heart, but slowly and steadfully he was getting used to new powers. It felt like a new suit, that you just had a chance to wear - a bit weird, but fitting and comfortable.

He heard the sounds of hoofsteps nearby, and saw a very fancy unicorn, with red mane and brown skin, accompanied by some mare. She was quite pretty, Sombra had to admit. Her pink mane and shimmering soft red skin fit her quite nicely. The unicorn and the mare approached Sombra, and bowed down.

"Your majesty, I am sorry to disturb your concentration, but we have a bit of a plea for you" - the unicorn said, looking at him.

"What is it?"

"You see, it's just that we are having a bit of a feud with my wife's brother. After their father passed away, may spirits guide his soul, he left behind a very big inheritance. A mansion with servants and a good chunk of land, all worth big money. Since then, my wife and her brother were clashing over this inheritance and who should get it. It started quite civil, but now, he's threatening us! I didn't want to take any unnecessary risks, so I went to you" - unicorn said.

"What makes you think I am interested in family feuds?! Who do you think I am - a psychologist?" - Sombra said, raising his voice.

"No, my liege, it's just you alone have the power to shut up Star Gem for good. You see, he's really persistent and..."

"WHO?!" - Sombra said, as the white of his eyes was filled with blood. This sudden outburst scared the unicorn. He couldn't even speak anymore.

"Star... Gem... your majesty. He's my brother" - the mare replied, and Sombra figured out that this was Night Spark. Though he never saw her in person, he remembered how mother described her - self-centered, selfish and uncaring. Sombra slowly got up from his throne and descended down to them. Unicorn looked at him, as his heart was slowly filled with fear. Sombra could feel it, but he didn't care about this idiot - he moved closely to Night Spark.

"Where is your brother right now?" - he said, looking her right in the eyes, with metallic anger inside.

"He doesn't live in Crystal City anymore. He lives in a far away village, to the west" - Night Spark replied, as her voice was trembling.

"Village, huh? Do not worry - I will visit him soon enough" - Sombra said, drawling.

"Thank you so much, my liege. You really take big care of us" - Night Spark said, smiling nervously.

"Of course I do. I am a caring Emperor after all" - Sombra replied, looking contemptuously at these two. "Now leave, before I change my mind"

"Of course, of course!" - the unicorn said, and they quickly left. Sombra looked down at the ground, remembering the visions he had to withstand as a child. So many years have passed, he even managed to forget for a couple of time... but now, he has the means and the reasons to do it.

"Sombra... what happened?" - Metal Eye said, approaching him. Sombra suddenly lift his head.

"Get the carriage. I have an old friend to visit!" - he said and walked forward, to the exit. Oh, how eagerly he awaits that moment! How pleasant it will be to look in his eyes.

* * *

The knocking on the door disturbed Twitchy Tail, making her shudder and almost drop the cup. She put it on the table.

"Wait a second, I'm coming!" - she said in a voice loud enough for the visitor to hear her. Her son was sleeping in the next room, so she had to keep quiet.

She approached the door and opened it, looking at her visitor. Her jaw dropped immediately as Emperor Sombra himself was standing at her doorstep. He was looking at her with red eyes, completely calm and collected.

"Sorry to disturb you, but does Star Gem live here?" - Sombra asked in a calm, soothing voice, though it sounded somewhat creepy.

"Yes. He's my husband. What is it you need from our humble family, your majesty?" - Twitchy Tail asked, and Sombra smiled. She looked very cute - her long blonde mane and dark orange skin were pleasing to the eye, and weren't too bright.

"Can I talk to him?"

"No, he's meeting with his friends. You can wait inside if you want to... I'll make you some tea right away" - She offered, and Sombra nod silently. He entered the house and looked around, admiring its fanciness. The furniture was made from the fir-trees, a rare type of it, which cost an admirable amount of money. It was very clean and fresh, it was just pleasing to breathe here. It seems they ventilated the house not long ago.

Sombra sat down on the couch, and waited for Twitchy Tail to bring him the tea. He sniffed in - ah, eastern jasmine. He really adored its smell... because mother used to make tea with the smell that resembled this sort.

"My liege... if you don't mind me asking... what do you need with my husband?" - Twitchy said, quietly approaching Sombra.

"It is just that he owes me something... it's a very old debt, but I found him only now... nothing serious, really" - Sombra replied, sniffing in the fumes of the tea.

"Oh... all right... But is it really necessary for such an important pony to collect the debt now?"

"This debt, my dear, is not about money. It never was" - Sombra replied, which scared Twitchy a bit. What kind of disputes can her husband have with the Emperor?

Suddenly, she heard a baby crying. Great, looks like Sunny has woke up again.

"I'm awfully sorry, but I can't stay, I need to put my son to sleep. He's just one year old you see" - she said, smiling nervously.

"Oh, go ahead, I understand. I'll stay here while you are away" - Sombra said, and Twitchy walked upstairs.

Many thoughts were crossing Sombra's mind. He wondered, how Star Gem looks like now. He probably changed a lot - the last time Sombra saw him was many and many of years ago. But he remembered his face - forever. With time the wound slowly healed, but he still remembered.

The door creaked, as it opened, and the sound of hoofsteps swept through the room.

"Sweetie, I'm home... Good evening... your majesty" - this painfully familiar voice said. Sombra turned his head and looked at Star Gem.

Oh, yes, he has changed. Everything has changed, except for his face - the face Sombra will remember for a long time. Though Star Gem has grown himself a mustache, Sombra could still recognize him.

"Good evening to you too... Star Gem" - Sombra said, putting the cup of tea on the table, and getting up from the couch. "Surprised to see me here?"

"Of course... It's not every day we are visited by the Emperor himself... Is it something you need?" - Star Gem said, wiping his hooves on the rug before coming inside.

"Yes... There is. I need you to remember if you have seen me before" - Sombra said, approaching him.

"Umm... I don't recall that, your highness" - he said, looking a bit scared.

"Of course you don't... You have never seen me before. But you saw a pony who looked really similar to me... very similar"

"I am sorry, but no... I don't remember anypony like you"- Star Gem said, slowly trying to walk around Sombra and to his wife, but Sombra quickly barred the way.

"No? You don't remember? What a shame. But you will remember, if I say you the name. Willemite - do you recognize it?" - Sombra said, and Star Gem stood still for a minute, he even stopped breathing. He went to the cupboard and took a piece of cloth out of it, and wiped his forehead with it. His hooves were shaking, and he was sweating really badly.

"Y...yes... I do... recognize that name... What about... it?" - he said, stuttering and blinking often.

"You remember that pony, yes? She served in your father's house, back when you lived in Crystal City - she took care of you and your family. She was of the poor family, she lived in slums" - Sombra said.

"Yes... I d-d-do... I knew that pony... s-s-so?" - Star Gem replied, trembling. He sat down on the couch, trying to calm down.

"She had a family... A husband and a son, a little stallion, six years old..."

"YES!... I-I-I know... So?!" - Star Gem said, suddenly losing his calm, and shouting at the top of his lungs. He took the cup of tea and drank a bit to relax.

"I was that little stallion, six years old... I am her son" - Sombra said, and Star Gem dropped the cup, which broke into thousand pieces, spilling the hot tea on the floor.

The drops of cold sweat were running down Star Gem's face, and he started to tremble. His limbs were shaking, his eyes were all over the place. He looked at Sombra, with eyes full of fear. He opened his mouth, but all words were stuck in his throat.

"You took... everything I valued in my life at that point. You took my belief in good, you took my father's honor, you took my mother's life" - Sombra said in a calm voice.

"It was an accident! I swear, I didn't want to..." - Star Gem said, as tears started running from his eyes. Sombra tilted his head and looked at him.

"Didn't want to what? Oh, you didn't think about anything at that time, you could only think about how to satisfy your lust. That was the only thing you were thinking about?" - Sombra said, as Star Gem started sobbing.

"I was young, I was stupid! I couldn't think straight! Please, I am so sorry... Please..." - he said, sobbing, barely holding back from crying out loud. Fortunately, Twitchy Tail was too busy with the child, and she couldn't hear what was happening here.

"How funny it is, really" - Sombra said, as he started to walk around Star Gem in a circle, like a vulture over a rotting corpse. "If I hadn't achieved so much for these years, when I came to you, you wouldn't even flinch. If I wasn't the Emperor right now, you wouldn't even look at me - you would just mock me, laugh at me, covering behind the wall that separates us, and protects you from me. I rose above that wall"

"Please... I had nightmares about that day... I went to therapy for several years... I'm not lying, I swear... I regret what I did..." - he said, trembling and crying.

Sombra looked at his enemy. A normal pony reduced to whimpering pathetic creature in mere seconds. This weakling was terrified of things Sombra could do to him, even before he revealed what exactly will happen to this damned soul. Oh, Sombra could think of many things, many horrible tortures crossed his mind. But there was only one that this insect truly deserved.

"I believe you... but still, there are still unpaid debts between you and me" - Sombra said, looking down at his foe.

"Sorry, he really likes to wake up at the wrong time. Good thing I was able to calm him down" - Twitchy Tail said, coming downstairs. Then she noticed Star Gem all shriveled up and scared on the couch, and Sombra, looking at her with interest.

"What... is happening?" - she asked, and Sombra smiled.

"Nothing interesting, my dear. But in fact, you are needed here" - Sombra said, as his horn started glowing. It took him five seconds to creep through the energy streams and into Twitchy Tail's soul, taking full control of her body and mind. She just stood there, with her mouth wide open and her eyes glowing green.

"What... what are you doing?" - Star Gem said, looking at his beloved just standing there, gawking.

"I am returning the favor" - Sombra said, and tilted his head. This acted as a signal to Twitchy, as she walked up to the wall and rammed her head into it as hard as she could. She took a few steps back, barely holding her balance, with her eyes still wide open, as surprise and fear could be seen in them. The blood was flowing from the wound, streaming down the pretty face and falling on the floor.

"Stop it! NO!" - Star Gem screamed, as he rushed to Twitchy and hugged her, trying to stop her from hurting herself, but she effortlessly and harshly pushed him away, as she walked to the wall and hit her head against it again, splattering the blood all over it. Star Gem tried to push her away from the wall, but she didn't react, pushing him away once again.

"Stop this! Stop it now!" - Star Gem shouted, as he helplessly watched Twitchy breaking her skull against the wall. The bloodstain grew bigger and bigger, and the wound on her head became worse and worse.

There was nothing Star Gem could do - Twitchy just violently pushed him away, despite a gaping wound on her head. Sombra's dark magic completely controlled her, except one detail - she was still conscious. Sombra felt her every feeling as she was slowly killing herself. Every regret, sorrow and fear were flowing to him.

Star Gem, helpless and weak, was lying on the floor, screaming, as the tears were streaming down his face. Twitchy hit the wall one more time, and slowly turned to him, revealing her mutilated face. The blood was dripping to the floor, and you could see the a piece of her skull sticking out. She slowly took a few steps towards Star Gem, reeling and stumbling, leaving a bloody trail behind herself, before falling down. A puddle of blood quickly formed under her head.

Star Gem looked in her lifeless eyes, seeing fear and horror in them. He couldn't believe his own eyes, still, talking to Twitchy's dead body as she was alive.

"No... Please... No..."

"Now... do you feel it? Do you know how it feels? To witness the death of your loved one first hoof, but being unable to do anything to protect them? Do you understand now, how it feels, to lose?" - Sombra said in a stone cold voice, approaching Star Gem. He was still lying on the floor, looking at his dead wife.

Suddenly, a child's cry pierced the sky. It seems, Star Gem's son woke up again - probably hungry, or he heard the noises. Star Gem quickly got up, and looked at Sombra with fear, as Sombra's mouth widened in a smile.

"N...no..." - Star Gem uttered, as he lost control of his body. His limbs moved on their own, as they were carrying him upstairs.

"Stop! Don't do this! Please! Just leave me alone!" - he said, as tears were streaming down his face, and he actually started to cry, as they both entered the room, where the little foal was lying in his cradle.

"What it would feel like... to see your loved one to die in suffering from your own hooves?" - Sombra said, smiling. Star Gem didn't respond, he just cried and whimpered.

He took a pillow from the nearby bed, and approached the cradle, as the child cried loudly. Star Gem looked at his child one last time, saw him moving in his little bed, crying his eyes out, as if begging for help. Sombra tilted his head, and Star Gem put the pillow right on the child and pressed it against his face, slowly choking the little pony.

Star Gem tried to fight back, tried to regain the control over his body, but it was to no avail - he was no match for Sombra's power. He still continued to fight, unwilling to give up, but it only caused him more pain. He tried to loosen his grip, and let his son breathe, but he only increased the pressure.

It was hard to realize your own weakness, as Star Gem gave up, and tried to close his eyes, praying, asking for death, but Sombra didn't do even that - he had to stand there and see, stand there and feel how he is choking his own child.

Finally, the screams stopped, and Sombra let Star Gem free. He took the pillow and threw it away, and closed his eyes, after seeing his dead child's face. His eyes were closed, and the head was tilted just a little bit to the left.

"You... you..." - Star Gem uttered, walking away from the cradle. Sombra looked at him.

"I - who? Monster? Demon? Villain? No. I just returned the favor" - he said, approaching the broken and exhausted Star Gem. "Now you know what it is like. Now you know what I had to go through, and we are even"

However, there was nothing else to this revenge, no sense of accomplishment, no feeling of victory. His retribution was complete... but it felt empty and unneeded anymore. This revenge didn't bring him anything. Sombra looked at his foe one more time, as he was lying on the floor, staring at the wall, crying. He wasn't saying anything, he was just lying there, drowning in his own sorrows and regrets.

Sombra went away, with a little bit of burden on his soul. After all this... he felt bad for Star Gem, a little bit. However, he knew he did the right thing, and that his paradise has no need for the likes like Star Gem. He has done what he planned to. It was time to leave.

Sombra left Star Gem's house, leaving his enemy completely broken and destroyed. What happens to him after this? Will he have enough will and sanity to live on? Fate will see to that, but Sombra had no business here anymore.

* * *

Sanguine was walking through the courtyard of the palace, approaching the entrance to the palace itself. Everywhere he looked were these Void Watchers, with their black masks. All the fears Sanguine had were confirmed - the whole Empire has now bowed down before Sombra, as he ensnared their minds with lies, promises and threats. Everywhere he looked, ponies were discussing the oncoming war with the three tribes. Sanguine wanted to tell the truth, but he knew that Void Watchers will track him down quickly. He has to confront Sombra, face to face, and pray for the best.

The doors were opened, and Sanguine came inside. Interestingly enough, Sombra didn't change the hall that much - only the pictures of Lux and his family were all removed, and now there were only naked walls.

Sombra himself was sitting on the throne, holding his head. Looks like he has some bad headache, as the servant was bringing him a cup of water. Sanguine quickly approached the throne, looking at Sombra. Several guards stepped forward, blocking the path.

"Let him pass" - Sombra said, and the guards stepped away. Sanguine finally approached the throne.

"Interesting... I thought you were dead" - Sombra said, rubbing his head slowly.

"Very foolish of you to assume so. Now, you will have to answer for your deeds - where is the Empress and the Prince?" - Sanguine said, looking furiously at Sombra.

"Don't you ever read the news? They are dead. Poor Empress couldn't handle the pressure, and ended her life along with the prince" - Sombra replied. Sanguine took a few steps back. They're dead...

"You, liar! You killed them! He's a traitor! Get him now, as the general of Legio Eternum, I command you!" - he shouted at the guards, but they just lazily turned their heads towards him.

"Poor, poor Sanguine... You mean nothing to these soldiers. Void Watch obeys me and my subordinates. All the loyalists have to die" - Sombra said, smiling weakly.

Filled with rage, Sanguine dashed forward, charging the energy, as his horn started glowing. In a matter of seconds it was charged, and he unleashed the blast, that would immolate a pony immediately. However, the blast evaporated just in centimeters before reaching Sombra, as he easily blocked it with his own magic.

As retaliation, he slightly moved his head, and Sanguine was pinned down on the floor, unable to move. It seems that the very air was compressing around him, gaining weight fast enough to keep him down. Sombra got up from the throne and approached helpless Sanguine.

"You're a very brave pony, a good warrior, and the commander of the legendary Legio Eternum. Let's see if I can convince you in the rights of my cause" - Sombra said, as his horn started glowing, and Sanguine felt the horrible pain pierce every fiber of his being. He felt his armor.. being melted into his very body. The unique alloy of metal and crystal was slowly cutting into his flesh, becoming part of him.

He couldn't scream, as his lungs were filled with liquid metal, and his bones were covered in crystals. He started to become the armor.

The transformation was long and gruesome, as every part of his body was covered with this alloy, and his flesh was fused with it. The only part of his body that wasn't armor were the eyes.

Sanguine felt his thoughts leaving his head. The transformation wasn't finished yet. Slowly, but steadfully, he was turning into Sombra's plaything, his puppet.

Sombra finally finished the ritual, and the being, previously known as Sanguine rose. It look at its master, breathing heavily and loudly.

"Welcome to our ranks, Caede. Bear your new name with pride, and serve me well. Return now to your comrades, and share this gift I granted you with them" - Sombra said, and this golem bowed down to him. The armor covered him fully, so he could never speak again, only watch and destroy what Sombra commands.

Soon, Caede will turn other Legio Eternum warriors into golems like he is... and then, the invasion of Great Fields can begin. Soon, the Empire will relish in the green fields, and the scum, inhabiting them now, will be turned into ash. Then, Sombra will be one step closer to achieving his dream, his paradise.


	9. Genocide

The leaves were flying through the air, carried away by the wind. It was quite cold, but at the same time very fresh. A perfect day to prepare your crops for the oncoming autumn.

The earth pony was carefully dragging the big linen piece of cloth over the field. His friends were helping him to stretch over the whole field. When autumn comes, all the fields must covered like this, or else the crops will freeze and die. Thankfully, during winter, the snow covers the fields, shielding them from wind.

The earth pony stopped and cleared the sweat from his forehead. This is hard work, good thing his neighbors agreed to help him. At this rate, they will be able to cover the all the fields in no time at all.

"Hey, can you feel it?" - his friend asked, approaching him. "I think the ground is shaking"

"I think you drank too much last night, friend. I feel nothing at all. The ground is absolutely still" - he replied.

"Ah, screw you! I haven't drank even a drop since last week! I tell you, I can feel the earth shaking" - his friend said, in an annoyed voice. In reply, he just sneered and wanted to get back to work, when he actually felt the ground shaking.

"Think of me as a fool... but I actually feel the earth shaking" - he said, looking at his friend, who was staring at something far in front of him.

"Hey, what's tha..." - earth pony said, turning his head forward, as the rest of the words were stuck in his throat. In front of them, a whole army of pony-like creatures was marching. However, they looked like they were made out of crystals.

These beings slowly walked out of the woods, staring at earth ponies with emotionless eyes. The earth ponies stumbled away from the strange creatures, and were about to run away, when one of them raised his hoof, and it changed into a big spike. The creature turned its gaze onto one of earth ponies, and dashed towards it. Despite running only on three hooves, and looking quite heavy, this thing reached the pony in no time and cut off its head in a single slice.

Earth ponies quickly ran to their village, screaming and asking for help. The creatures followed them, killing anypony who wasn't fast enough. Their brutal weapons cut through flesh and bones like knife through butter. More and more of these crystal abominations were coming out of the wood, like endless swarm.

Slowly, Caede, the former Sanguine, brave commander of Legio Eternum, close friend and the bodyguard of the Emperor, now but a shadow of his former self, a soul, devoid of mercy and pity, a tool, which carries out Sombra's will. Legio Eternum is no more - they are all now tools of the Emperor. They forgot the meaning of honor, mercy, despair and fear. They are forever silent, only in rare cases they will utter the moans of pain, as their bodies are tortured by crystal shells.

Caede leads them forward, giving out orders through silent glances. The order of the general was to take this town, and they will do it.

Those, who call themselves the protectors of law and order among earth ponies stood up in arms, ready to protect their home, as they were joined by more and more peasants. They decided to hold their ground against these monsters - but what can they do? They are dust compared to these mighty thralls, mindless slaves of Sombra's dark arts. They used to be the Legio Eternum... now, they are Legio Damnant.

Caede watched, as his soldiers tore apart the helpless peasants, burnt down houses. The general ordered them not to kill mares and children - they just gathered them in the centre of the town, thus making them look, as their husbands, sons and friends were cut into pieces, maimed by horrifying weapons of these crystal golems.

Caede watched, and his soul was screaming in agony and anger, or what was left of it anyway. His memories were slowly fading away, and soon, there will be no memories of his past life. Only obedience and loyalty to Sombra.

Legio Damnant has took over this little village in one hour. Thirty minutes later, the main forces of Void Watch has arrived, led by Second General Syanede, assisted by Baron Metal Eye. The crystal ponies in dark masks entered the town, and round up all the survivors, mares and children.

"Caede handled his job perfectly. Though tell me, why did Sombra command not to kill mares and children? Do we have to feed them too?" - Syanede asked Baron, while looking around, examining the slaughter.

"I'll let this slip, and ignore that you just questioned Sombra's order. Yes, we have to feed them and keep them in good shape. This applies to all the villages, cities and towns" - Baron said, fixing his coat.

"Oh, as you say, Baron" - Syanede grumbled. Metal Eye sneered - Syanede may look like an adult, but should you berate him, he turns into a small child. He wondered how he even got this high in military career.

"Set up a camp here, we will spend the night here, and then we move on. We have a lot of cities to conquer" - Syanede ordered, and the soldiers started to occupy the houses that weren't destroyed, clear them out and set up posts inside. They dug down trenches and put tents. After three hours, the camp was set, and the preparations for next attack began. It should be harder this time - earth ponies will be aware of their presence.

* * *

"Get down!" - Wonderbolt shouted, and knocked down Shadow Hoof, and just in time, as the blast of energy hit the ground not for from them, dousing them in dirt.

The enemy attacked without any warning - just in one night, they have destroyed several outposts and took one town. These crystal ponies were different - they knew no mercy, and used every dirty tactic available - they attacked at night, conducted mass bombings, and burned down forests in order to fill the sky with smoke, making it impossible for pegasi to perform maneuvers. Like now - the sky was filled with smoke, and pegasi had to fly very low or even walk, which made them easy targets for the enemy.

"Whew, that was close!" - Shadow Hoof said, swiping the dust away from his mane.

"Be more careful!" - Wonderbolt said, leaning out of their cover, a broken tree. He only took a peak, when at least three bolts of energy hit the tree. They had to find a new cover now.

Fortunately, there was a big rock nearby, so they hid behind this stone. Shadow Hoof looked around, seeing pegasi desperately trying to reach the enemy. They were roaring, trying to inspire each other, but one by one they were falling, gunned down in cold blood.

"Sweet heavens! This is... slaughter!" - Shadow Hoof said.

"Are you afraid, Shadow? I don't recall you being a coward" - Wonderbolt said, preparing to rush forward and attack.

"Don't be a fool, Wonderbolt! I am not afraid of a fight - but this is not a fight! It's a massacre!" - Shadow Hoof shouted. "We may win, but is it worth it?"

"What are you talking about? Victory is always worth it!" - Wonderbolt replied angrily, and flew out of the cover. "CHARGE!"

He quickly dodged all the incoming shots, and, with the speed of lightning, he reached the enemy lines, cutting his way through.

"YOU SUICIDAL MANIAC!" - Shadow Hoof screamed, and flew out of the cover, quickly approaching the enemy. Wonderbolt's attack distracted the enemy, forcing them to engage in melee, trying to take him down. Poor idiots - nopony can match Wonderbolt in a fight. Shadow Hoof knew that on his own example, as he tried to best his friend countless times, but failed.

The pegasi, finally receiving a chance for counter-attack, rushed towards the enemy lines. Not all reached their destination, some fell down, bleeding, but it was done - enemy troops were engaged in the melee combat, allowing the pegasi to retaliate in full force.

Shadow Hoof cut down another masked pony, and saw Wonderbolt, fighting back at least three at a time. They couldn't even scratch him, as he dodged every attack they could manage to pull off. In one quick moment, he sliced their throats, and the masked ponies fell down, coughing. The pegasi shouted in joy, seeing the deeds of their favorite hero, and pressed the assault.

After a quick, but bloody battle, the enemies routed, retreating organized and quickly. The soldiers hailed their hero, Wonderbolt, raising their hooves into the air.

Shadow Hoof sighed - yes, just like always, our hero triumphs, and is hailed by many. Wonderbolt always rushed into battle, disregarding his own life, and that Shadow Hoof couldn't understand - wouldn't it be better to avoid dying?! Seriously, sometimes it seemed like Wonderbolt had a death wish.

Shadow Hoof turned away from the crowd, that surrounded his friend. He couldn't understand pegasi's dogma - honor above all. It seemed more like honor above reason! Fighting, fighting, racing - that's all they did. Shadow Hoof started to get tired of this all.

He approached one of the dead crystal ponies, and looked at him. The pony seemed very strong, carrying a heavy gun, and wearing a metal mask. Shadow Hoof wondered what they are hiding - maybe they are some kind of demons, or monsters. He pulled the mask off the dead body, and threw it away... Sweet heavens.

He looked so young! Shadow Hoof met ponies of the same age in academies, as appetencies. He was approximately seventeen years old. Engulfed by fear and shock, but at the same time, curiosity, he started taking the masks off the dead foes. With each taken mask, Shadow's anxiety grew bigger and bigger. This whole time, they were fighting and killing kids!

"Sweet heavens... Oh, by Boreas..." - Shadow Hoof muttered, stepping away. He couldn't believe his own eyes. They were killing kids! He was killing kids!

"That's... cruel" - Wonderbolt said, appearing behind Shadow Hoof, scaring him half to death.

"Oh, my... don't do that ever again!" - Shadow replied, and looked at the corpse yet again. "They are... so young. Even we don't send our children to fight at this age... not in a real war"

"Yes..." - Wonderbolt said, turning grim. "They didn't even flinch when they were shooting and killing us, bombarding us. Looks like they were forced to be adults"

"We can't fight like this! We are literally killing kids! This isn't right" - Shadow Hoof said.

"Yes... but we have no choice. This is our land, and we have to protect it"

"Are you nuts? I'm not going to kill children! This isn't right!"

"Listen, this isn't our choice. If these kids came here, then they came here for a reason, and they are not going to give up. It is their decision to fight, and we have no choice but to fight back. Now, please, relax a bit, and let's get back to work. We still have to fortify this town - this attack almost wiped us out" - Wonderbolt said, and went to the troops, to gather the bodies and bury them.

Shadow Hoof looked once again at the children, lying dead before him, killed in battle. Their rifles, enhanced by some strange magic, slowly disintegrated, to prevent them falling into enemy hands.

"Not our choice, huh? There is always a choice, Wonderbolt. There is always a choice" - Shadow Hoof whispered to himself, and went to his comrades, to help bury the bodies.

* * *

"Here you go, your majesty" - the servant said, passing King Palladium a cup of water.

"Y..yes... th...thank you" - the king mumbled, trying to pick up the glass with his magic. As he was trying to drink, he lost control, and dropped it. The glass flew apart into tiny pieces, splashing the water everywhere.

"Sorry... I don't feel too well..." - the king said, rubbing his head, hoping that it would ease the headache. But, it didn't matter what he tried, the pain didn't go away.

Among all unicorns, Palladium was famous for his ability to predict future and feel magical streams, allowing for more effective use of them. Unfortunately, that also meant he is easily affected by these streams, if they are of some sinister nature.

The invasion has started three days ago, and with them, they brought this fever. King could feel the dark energies these crystal ponies were radiating. It seemed that these ponies were exposed to black magic for a very long time.

Princess Platinum was always around, handling the requests and meetings Palladium would usually take care of. She was really worried about her father - it surprised even him.

"Dad, you should go and rest. Your condition is getting worse every day" - Princess said, approaching him.

"It's all right, my dear. Just tell me... did the news from the front line arrive?" - King asked and Platinum's eyes drooped. The news have arrived, but they weren't bright at all.

"Yes, father... Enemy is gaining ground" - she said, turning away.

"What is happening? We have sent the requests for help to pegasi and earth ponies - why aren't they helping?"

"I believe they were invaded too. They replied that all available recourses are already engaged in combat" - Princess replied, looking somewhere away. Palladium sighed - he was afraid that this day would come.

One night, he had a vision. An eerie one, a fearful scene. He saw darkness over the all of Great Fields, and thousand of spheres were floating in the air. Palladium could hear screams, and moans of agony. He didn't know what it supposed to mean, until now. Was it a prophecy, foretelling this oncoming danger, and, possibly, inevitable demise?

"Dear... listen... You have been handling the country quite good so far... I'm so proud of you" - he said, looking at her and smiling.

"Father, you shouldn't be talking too much, you're very weak. You need to rest" - Platinum replied in a caring voice.

"I'm fine... it's just that soon, there may come a time when you will have to lead unicorns... maybe this time is sooner than we expect" - Palladium said.

"Don't talk nonsense, dad. Everything will be fine. We defeated the Empire one time - we will do it again" - Princess replied, and king sighed.

"They are different now. Much different. I feel that they are lead by someone much more powerful than me... powerful than any pony should be" - Palladium said, knowing all too well about the corrupting attribute of power.

"Don't be such a pessimist. We will live through it. We always did" - Platinum said, desperately trying to keep things positive.

"I hope you're right. I really do" - King said, closing his eyes, trying to drive away the depressing thoughts that were clouding his mind. They are not going to help anypony - he needs to stay calm and collected, if he wants to help his country.

He got up from the throne and ordered the court wizard to arrive immediately. They need to discuss the plan of actions, how to fight back these ruthless crystal ponies. They have gained a very strong position, so retaliating will be very problematic, but they have faced problems worse than this... hopefully.

* * *

This was hopeless... Utterly hopeless! Countless times he tried, and countless times he failed. But, again and again, Sombra tried to extract the energy from the criminal that was caught recently. Since he needed a sufficient test subject, Sombra commanded to bring him here. Nopony is going to miss this scum anyway.

The subject was wearing a collar, with chains, attaching him to the wall. It was a little bit worn in places, as this idiot tried to escape countless of times. His body was covered in cuts and bruises, Sombra made sure that the wounds were not lethal.

It was time to try yet again. Hopefully, this time it will work. Sombra found a stream of magic that could lead him to this scum's inner being. The subject was full of feelings - fear, despair, hatred. All were fitting for conversion into dark energy - they just had to be extracted.

"No! No-no-no! Not again!" - the criminal shouted, but Sombra started the process of extraction. It consisted of tearing certain memories and feelings off, and converting them. However, every time Sombra tried it, they disappeared, slowly seeping back into the subject through the open magic streams.

The subject screamed, as the memories were torn out of his head, replaced by emptiness. This pain could be compared to a needle, slowly being injected into your sore point, then twisted in such a way to cause you even more pain. Quite delicate pain, which doubled the effect. The subject tried to escape, dashing left and right, hoping that the chain will break. The collar squeezed his neck tightly, chocking him, as he tried to run.

"Stay still!" - Sombra said, trying to concentrate, but this idiot continued his futile attempts to escape. Finally, the ritual was over - Sombra could feel the feelings in the air, floating near magic streams. Great! Now, he just has to...

They disappeared just as fast. Scattered into tiny bits, and slowly flew back into subject, filling the emptiness. Another failure.

"Damn it!" - Sombra shouted. Soon, it will be time for him to check on his generals - and he still has no idea how to charge the Crystal Heart.

"Damn it all to hell!" - Sombra screamed and hit the table in frustration. What is he missing?

The feelings are the source of energy. Crystal Heart can convert these feelings to energy. How does he extract the feelings from the soul? Is there no way?

Suddenly, the bright idea came to Sombra's mind. Looks like the feelings cannot exist outside souls. Without the vessel, water will just flow everywhere. So, why not take the whole vessel? Smiling, Sombra approached the subject, who was breathing heavily, resting after the pain has left.

"Thank you for your assistance" - Sombra said. "Guards... execute him!"

"Yes, sire!"- the Void Watcher, standing in the room said, and shot the poor guy right in the face, splattering his brains all over the wall. Sombra quickly looked through the magical streams, and saw it - he felt this puny soul, trying to get away. Without hesitation, he ensnared it with dark energies, trapping the soul nearby him.

It's funny how only those who are experienced in the magical arts can see, or rather feel souls of the dead. They resonate with all kinds of energy, making them quite noticeable. They carried so much energy - but the art of soul manipulation is strictly forbidden... until now. Only Sombra possesses the knowledge and power that allows him to ensnare souls.

Satisfied with this discovery, Sombra went upstairs, to the Diamond Hall. He needs to try out his theory.

A long way up was quite boring. Sombra hated stairs - why won't they just have a normal hall for the Crystal Heart? Or at least make some faster way to reach it, instead of walking up for hundreds of steps? He should really do something about these stairs - they piss him off.

Finally, Sombra reached the Crystal Heart. Without further delay, he started to fuse the soul with the Crystal Heart. The soul struggled, tried to flow away into otherworld, but Sombra's grip was too tight, as he forcefully fed this sinner to the Crystal Heart. It darkened a bit, exciting Sombra immensely. Several seconds after, the Heart started glowing dark, then returned to its usual color, only a little bit darker.

It worked! The Crystal Heart has accepted the soul, swallowing it fully, tearing out and converting the feelings into energy. With Sombra's influence, it transformed it into dark energy - just what Sombra wanted.

He reached some progress, but his work was far from done - Sombra knew what to do, now he just needs to do it.

"Prepare the Crystal Heart for transportation" - Sombra ordered, and the Void Watcher bowed to him, and then ran away to get escort for the sacred artifact. It will travel with Sombra under fierce protection, and after all three tribes are finished, he will finally accomplish his plan. Finally, these years of loneliness and continuous nightmares will come to an end. He will be happy again.

The soldiers put the Crystal Heart into a special big box, made specifically for its transportation. It was nigh unbreakable, and protected by the strongest locking spells wizards could ever discover. There was never a problem with transportation of Crystal Heart - it was indestructible. Some greedy ponies tried to crack it, but failed miserably.

Soldiers escorted Sombra to his carriage. Behind him, two servants were dragging the box with the heart. Sombra looked into the sky, closed his eyes and smiled. He could feel the fresh breath of winter on his skin. It will be just like the winter when he met Krystal - beautiful, perfect, magnificent. He can't wait to see her again, playing in the snow, making angels, throwing snowballs at each other...

Sombra missed these times. He really did. He would trade any power, any kingdom for these times to return, and never end.

* * *

The young earth pony, dressed in the guard uniform, was standing on the high stone wall, looking at the horizon. The cold wind was blowing, chilling to the bone. The painful feeling of hunger in this pony's stomach was disturbing his concentration, making him constantly think about food. Thankfully, the caravan from the villages, loaded with food, is said to be arriving very soon to the besieged city.

It started two months ago, when crystal ponies came to the city and blocked all the roads, blocking all the trading routs and supply lines, basically deciding to starve earth ponies until they surrender. All who tried to run away, escape the city were killed.

However, these metal heads didn't know about one secret route - it was built especially for this situation. Partially underground, partially by lakes, this path is difficult and dangerous, but it's the only remaining way.

The sky was covered in grey clouds, and the trees were almost completely naked - all the leaves have fallen. The winter is very soon, it may snow at any given day.

The city would not need this caravan, if it wasn't for artillery. One blast of energy from the recent bombings - and the warehouses, full of food, were completely destroyed in seconds, consumed by fire.

The guard looked down at the city - if you visit it just a few months ago, you would have stayed forever. The smiling faces of earth ponies would keep you excited, the atmosphere was just perfect for a family, or anypony in general. The guard even remembered the first time walking around here - it was a sunny day, and he with his girlfriend decided to go for a walk. They found a nice cafe somewhere in the centre, and spent at least two hours there, talking about various things. Then, he proposed to her. Ah, good old days.

Now, the city looks gloomy and grim. Not many ponies walking around - many are sitting at home, trying to suppress the hunger. Rarely you could see a pony running from corner to corner, and only soldiers were regularly patrolling the streets.

The guard heard many rumors of Chancellor Puddinghead ordering to move all the food to her personal warehouses, which infuriated many ponies, but he knew that wasn't true. Puddinghead's storages were as empty as everypony's else, since she gave most of her supplies to the army. But occasional riots did happen, and it made Chancellor very sad. She would lock herself in her room and just sit there for hours. Smart Cookie would call soldiers after that and ask not to tell Puddinghead that the situation is only getting worse with every day.

But everything was about to change very soon - the caravan will arrive, and everypony will be happy again. Everything will go back to normal, streets will be light and clean again, and ponies will walk around, smiling to each other.

* * *

Syanede looked at the city, with annoyance and hatred in his eyes. They have wasted so much time, blockading this putrid place - and no sign of them surrendering so far! The roads were blocked, their food supplies were destroyed - what else do they need to do?

Baron Metal Eye has reported that last night a message from Emperor Sombra has arrived. Syanede was very worried about this - the deadline was drawing close, and Sombra will arrive, expecting great results. He will be disappointed when he will see that his great army, even with the support of Legio Damnant, is unable to take one city. Syanede nervously rubbed his neck - if only this stalemate didn't cost him his head.

"My general, Baron wants you to visit him" - Void Watcher said, bowing before Syanede. Syanede turned around, sighing.

"I'm on my way" - he replied, and went to Metal Eye's tent, which was in several minutes of walking from the vantage point. That moron started to get really full of himself - just because he is the Emperor's close friend, doesn't mean that he can order the general around!

Metal Eye was sitting at the table, reading the message. His tent was quite comfortable, but minimalistic - a bed, several chairs, and a table - that's all there was.

"Oh, general Syanede! Glad you came here fast. Take a seat" - Metal Eye said, glancing on Syanede for a second, then lowering his sight to read the letter again. General quickly put the chair near the table and sat down.

"So... what does it say?" - Syanede asked, looking at Metal Eye.

"Worried, huh? You should be" - Metal Eye said, which annoyed Syanede. "Actually, there is nothing worrisome in this letter. In fact, it's quite opposite. Sombra has unbound our hooves. We can use any tactic to take that damn city!"

"Seriously? That's all? We discussed many strategies, none of them will work. Blockade is the only way!" - Syanede said in an angry voice. Bwah, idiot, found a reason to celebrate!

"Yes... unless we use the tactic that's a bit... taboo" - Baron said. General looked at him.

"You mean..."

"Yes. Prepare to launch Widow's Tears" - Baron confirmed general's suspicions.

Widow's Tears were special bombs, created by a famous magician and weapon constructor, who operated under the pseudonym of Bleeding Soul. These bombs were crystals, charged with arcane magic. Usual bombs are charged with elemental, which makes them explode like inferno, cause shockwaves, unleash storms of electricity - but arcane magic did something entirely different.

When Widow's Tears collide with the ground and shatter, the arcane energy tears the pieces apart, turning them into dust. This dust quickly fills the air, pervading into lungs, covering the skin, causing horrible burns, since arcane energy is very unstable. Those unlucky to breathe in will suffocate slowly, feeling this dust scratch their lungs, burning them from inside. The Widow's Tears were used once, on a some barbarian tribe. Soldiers felt sick, as they saw those ponies suffocating, tearing apart their own throats in desperate attempt to breathe. After that, this weapon was banned. However, since it's so easy to make, inspections had to be conducted every year, to look for these atrocious bombs.

Now, Sombra has lifted the ban, and Baron decided to use the Widow's Tears. Syanede couldn't say that he was too eager to use this, but at least Sombra didn't demote him or ordered his execution - that's all that mattered.

"I'll pass the order to soldiers. Today, we shall take this town!" - Syanede replied, and went out to the army - the time has come to act!

* * *

"For too long, these cockroaches have been burrowing in the ground, that belongs to our Empire! For too long, these pests have inhabited the lands that they do not deserve! But today, we, the warriors of Void Watch, chosen of the Emperor, reclaim what belongs to us! We shall take this city - even if we have to burn it down to the ground!" - Syanede shouted, and Void Watchers raised their hooves in support. "Today, we shall destroy these fools! We shall walk this land, and their bones shall crack under our hooves! By holy word of the Emperor, we came here as liberators! By his holy order, we brought stability and order to barbarians! And now, we go into battle, wielding his wrath as our weapon! Launch the assault!"

The command was given. The Legio Damnant, who were in charge of trebuchet, cut the ropes, finally letting these mighty machines to unleash their power. The bombs flew over the wall, waking up the guards on the walls. They started to run around, thinking that it is yet another bombing. Oh, how they are wrong.

The crystals shattered as they landed on the stone pavements. The energy was free, turning these pieces into dust. Earth ponies were quite impressed by the colors, floating in the air. Suddenly, they felt pain inside their throats, inside their lungs.

The loud sound of coughing filled the town, as this dust was spreading all through the city, seeping through small cracks in the walls. Ponies, that thought it would be safer at home, were dying slow and painful death, alone, with their houses serving as coffins.

Children were the first to die, as their weak bodies were unable to last without air for too long. Then, their mothers died, as they wasted too much breath screaming and crying. Their husbands held out the longest - strong, working ponies were able to last for minutes. But right now, they wished they were weak, as they were forced to watch their loved ones dying before their eyes.

Chancellor Puddinghead watched from her room, from the window. She saw these colorful particles fly up in the air. Then, she had to look, as her people, her tribe, her friends, her co-workers suffocated, coughing blood. She looked at this horror, witnessing ponies die in such a horrible way. Her concentration was disturbed by a sound of a door being smashed open, as Smart Cookie ran inside and quickly threw a piece of cloth at the Chancellor.

"Quick, cover your mouth!" - she shouted, but Chancellor stood still, looking. "What are you waiting for?! Let's go! Come on!"

Chancellor didn't reply, as she continued to stare into the window. She couldn't get her eyes off the horror. It was her city, her country that were right now suffocating at the whim of Crystal Empire.

Puddinghead looked one last time, as her future, her people, her land were suffering and dying before her eyes... and there was nothing she could do. Then, she quickly covered her mouth with the piece of cloth, but staggered for a second, imagining and remembering all the ponies she knew that were out there dying. Smart Cookie growled in frustration, as she forcefully dragged Chancellor towards a secret escape route, where those ponies, who managed to get away were waiting.

"Come on! Let's go!" - she said, dragging almost lifeless Chancellor. They will run from these lands, and if they see any village that hasn't been destroyed yet, they will take them along. This land is no longer their home. They have to escape, or face the wrath of Crystal Empire.

* * *

Several hours later, when the dust faded away into nothing, Syanede ordered to smash the gates open. Void Watchers pushed the battering ram towards the gates, and in several minutes Syanede, Metal Eye and Caede were walking through the streets of this dead city.

Every turn they took, there was a body. The streets were littered with corpses. Some had their throats ripped apart - probably self-inflicted. There were more corpses in the houses, no doubt, but Syanede didn't want to think about that. It made him sick to look at this mess, and a little bit scared.

"What a mess... Well, anyway, take the positions in this city, collect all the corpses, and carry them out of here for transportation. If you find any survivors, escort them out as well" - Metal Eye shouted orders, and soldiers obediently followed these commands. Intrigued, Syanede looked at Baron.

"Transportations for corpses? Why? Why do we need to transport corpses?" - he asked, and Metal Eye coughed.

"Order of the Emperor. He doesn't want the dead to be wasted... besides... the ground need some kind of fertilizer" - Metal Eye said, coughing, showing that he clearly disliked this idea.

"Oh, order of the Emperor. All right, let's transport the corpses then" - Syanede said, probably ignoring Metal Eye's statement about the fertilizer. Maybe he didn't want to think about it, maybe he just didn't care.

Metal Eye sighed, looking around - as much as he was loyal to Sombra and Empire, sights like these made him think about his family. What if the same thing will happen to them... But order is an order - he has to obey.

* * *

Shadow Hoof was standing in the corner, while his comrades were celebrating another victory. They were drinking ale, telling each other stories, and also hailing Wonderbolt, who, once again, proved himself to be the hero of pegasi tribe. Like always.

They have been defending this town for quite a long time - since it was heavily fortified, they managed to hold the enemy for a long time. It seemed that crystal ponies have reached the wall they cannot scale. Everything they threw at them proved useless, as soldiers were slaughtered with ease.

However, the imperials were persistent. They continued the siege, no matter what, killing and slaughtering their way. Every day Shadow Hoof had to witness scenes that would haunt him in nightmares.

He started to realize that war is not about honor or courage. Maybe for pegasi warriors it was like this, but they are all wrong. Throughout this war, Shadow Hoof saw innocent die in hundreds. Crystal ponies were ruthless - it was clear that they are not going to give up.

Pegasi were too prideful to stop, crystal ponies do not wish to fall back, and continue to go onward. And in this fire of war, innocent suffer - those pegasi, who don't want to fight. Shadow Hoof saw some pegasus the other day who didn't want to be a soldier, and tried to run away from combat. He was caught afterwards, and is now awaiting trial.

Shadow Hoof could sympathize with the boy - he was quite young, twenty five years old, wife and two kids. He outright stated that he didn't want to fight, he asked to let him go, or let him help his country by other means - like cooking food. Commanders didn't listen.

This war is tearing families apart. But mothers are not weeping, wives are not crying - they wish good luck, and tell you to fight bravely. What if you don't want to fight? What if this is all pointless? What if we already lost?

"Hey, Shadow Hoof, you want a drink? You seem too grim for this celebration" - Wonderbolt said, smiling and lifting his big cup of ale up in the air.

"If I'm too grim, then I'd rather have some fresh air instead. Sorry for ruining your 'celebrations'!" - Shadow Hoof said, really frustrated by Wonderbolt's positive attitude towards all of this. He quickly made his way to the exit, and slammed the door behind him.

The cold air of the night was refreshing, in comparison to the stale air inside. Shadow Hoof breathed in, relaxing for a bit. He has been a seasoned warrior, but he never saw the war in such gritty way. He has never seen it so up close.

He decided to take a walk, and look around. The weather was quite good for a walk - it's quiet, fresh and calm. Shadow Hoof was walking around, looking at the silent houses, made from clouds - how beautiful they look at night, when stars are twinkling in the sky, and the moon is full. Shadow Hoof always adored the night - he liked to fly around, adoring the views. To be fair, he never wanted to be a soldier - he wanted to be an astrologist. He loved stars, and everything that had to do with them. However, since childhood he was trained to be a warrior, and then he became Wonderbolt's apprentice, so his dream became impossible to achieve. Now, there is this war, which seems like it will never end. It hurt Shadow Hoof to realize that his whole life will consist of nothing but wars. He didn't mind battles, but wars... they are vile, disgusting.

Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, a thought that many warriors will drive away as fast as possible. What if he can end this war right here, right now? The pinnacle of pegasi military is in this town - they fight ferociously to defend this place. If they lose, there will be no other choice but to surrender. Crystal Empire will be victorious and it will rule over these lands. Then, pegasi will surely have to eliminate all the military potential they have. The war will be over - and ponies will go home, safe. Everything will return back to normal - only they will not have these stupid war hungry generals ruling over them.

This thoughts was stuck in Shadow Hoof's mind, like a parasite. He can put an end to this - he knows a special, secret route into the city. He use it to sneak out of the city, and then return. This seemed like a bad idea, but even a slight chance of Shadow Hoof's achieving his dream destroyed any doubts he had. He quickly ran away to this secret entrance, hoping that there is no patrol there. He may be making a huge mistake - but he is thinking of his future, future without war, unlike that self-loving, war-hungry, prideful Wonderbolt.

* * *

"My liege, I am very glad you arrived" - Orthoclase said, bowing down before Sombra. "We are having a bit of a stalemate here. The pegasi are holding control over this town, and all our attempts to take it were fruitless"

"I thought I sent a message that made it clear that you can use whichever tactic you deem necessary. Why didn't you use Widow's Tears?" - Sombra said, casting a disappointed glance at Orthoclase.

"These pegasi can manipulate winds. They will form a tornado and sent the dust back at us, sir"

"Didn't think of that. Well, looks like we'll have to do this the old way - crush them, like the flying bugs they are. Prepare the air-balloons, we will attack at once" - Sombra said, moving away, looking into the night. "I will lead the attack personally"

His presence will lift the morale of the troops even further, and they will surely destroy the enemy forces. Suddenly, they were approached by a guard, who was ordered to watch over the town for any enemy activities.

"My liege, a pegasus from the town has arrived. He wishes to talk to you" - the soldier said, breathing heavily.

"He wishes to talk to me, or the commanding officer?" - Sombra said, but the guard stayed silent. Orthoclase looked at Sombra - it seems the Emperor has assumed command already.

"Lead him here. Let's hear what he has to say. Watch over him carefully. He may be an assassin" - Sombra commanded, and Orthoclase went away, along with the guard to lead this pegasus to their master.

Very interesting. Sombra has just arrived - his things were unpacked yet, and there is something happening already. This may be a simple coincidence - but Sombra felt that the fate was on his side. He decided to meet this guest face to face, outside, so he exited the tent. The dark of the night looked beautiful, pierced by lights from the torches, and the light, sparkling in this city in the clouds.

Two guards were escorting the pegasus, who had some very fancy armor on him. He approached Sombra and bowed before him.

"Emperor Sombra, my name is Shadow Hoof. I didn't expect to talk with the Emperor himself, though" - he said, and Sombra smiled. What is this? A pegasus who doesn't talk crap about pride and honor, behaves himself in the presence of the superior? Interesting.

"I've arrived just recently. So, why did you come here? Is it something that is worth my time?" - Sombra replied, and Shadow Hoof raised his head.

"Yes, I believe so. I can help you take the city" - he said, and Sombra staggered for a second. He didn't expect that.

"So, you... want to help us? Hmm... seems interesting" - Sombra said, smiling. A pegasus, who wants to betray his people. Very interesting. But how much does his loyalty cost?

"I am sure you will help us not because you are such a kindhearted person. You want something in return. What is it? Money? Power?" - Sombra asked, and Shadow Hoof sighed.

"No. When you take over my people, I beg you to grant them peace. No more wars, no more pain and suffering. Please, just let us live peacefully under your rule. That is all I ask of you" - he said, closing his eyes. Sombra was quite impressed. A pegasus who wants peace, even if it means selling out your own comrades. Disgusting, vile... but very useful for him in this situation.

"Oh... I will allow your tribe to leave in peace... if you will look after them, and make sure they stay under control. I do not want any revolution attempts in my Empire" - Sombra replied.

"If this is the price I have to pay for peace... I agree" - Shadow Hoof said, and Sombra smiled.

"Then, we have an agreement - help me win this war, and I grant your kind peace and safety under the watchful eye of my Empire" - he said, and the pegasus bowed once again, thanking him. "How exactly do you plan to help us?"

"Tomorrow, when you are ready for another attack, I will demoralize them. Break their will to fight. Do not worry - you will be victorious" - Shadow Hoof said, and Sombra nod quietly, signifying that they have an agreement. After that, the pegasus flew away, certain of the oncoming day, and preparing himself to what he was going to do.

Sombra looked towards this pegasus, flying away. He looked very serious and honest when he was speaking. Besides, these pegasi can't do any real damage outside in the open field - so it's unlikely for them to perform some kind of attack. They will be defensive. It seems that they now have an ally in enemy ranks, in the form of this little snitch. Tomorrow, in the morning, they will find out how useful this little agreement turns out.

* * *

Shadow Hoof slowly opened the door and looked inside - the party was still going on. It seems that they didn't even notice his absence, or maybe they were too drunk to do so. He carefully and quietly entered the hall, as the alcoholic fumes filled his lungs, making him cough for a second.

Shadow Hoof carefully looked into a little pouch he had tied to his leg - inside, several pills of sleeping draft. On his way he visited an hospital and 'borrowed' several of these. They were used for especially exuberant mental patients, and just two of these will make sure not even an explosion will wake you up. If the doze is too much, it can outright kill you.

Shadow Hoof thought about poison in the start, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. As much as Shadow came to despise Wonderbolt, they were still friends.

"Oh, Shadow... Hoof... what are ya doin', buddy?" - Wonderbolt said, when Shadow Hoof approached him. He was obviously drunk as a gryphon, and couldn't even talk straight.

"Just wanted to apologize for the outburst I had earlier. I just... well, I'm too tired. How about we take a drink?" - Shadow Hoof offered, and his friend seemed very pleased with that idea.

"Oh yeah! I always love drink... 'specially with my best buddy..." - he said, and ordered to pour him and Shadow Hoof some ale. The servants put the cup, filled to the brims with this fizzy drink, in front of Shadow Hoof. Wonderbolt looked away for a second to chat with Commander Hurricane, who was just as drunk. Shadow Hoof used this opportunity to open the pouch and throw the two pills into Wonderbolt's drink. The ale sizzled even louder, as the sleeping draft was dissolving.

Nopony has noticed. Either Shadow Hoof was too efficient, or they were too drunk to pay attention.

Finally, Wonderbolt finished talking with Commander and grabbed the cup. He was about to drink it, when suddenly, an idiotic idea came to his mind.

"Attention, everypony! Me and my friend Shadow Hoof have been through a lot. We... have fought in a lot of battles, and though he is not always eager to risk, he is a good comrade, and I can definitely count on him in times of dire need. My friends, my battle brothers! Let us raise our cups of ale in the name of friendship!" - he said, raising his cup. Other warriors joined him, shouting triple hoorah for friendship.

Shadow Hoof felt horrible. His head started to hurt, and something inside his chest signified he was making a wrong decision. But Shadow Hoof suppressed all these stupid feelings. He made an agreement, that will lead to peace. Peace is worth any price, even if it is your freedom.

Wonderbolt drank every drop of the ale, leaving nothing in the cup. After that, he smashed it into the table and smiled.

"Yeah... that's how... you...drink" - he said and passed out. Everypony laughed, thinking he just drank too much. Just as Shadow Hoof intended.

"I think that's enough for him today. I'll get him to bed" - he said, and grabbed Wonderbolt dragging him along to the bedrooms, while the whole hall was laughing.

While Shadow Hoof was dragging his friend to the bedroom, he thought about their colors - where he will get a paint, corresponding to Wonderbolt's skin? Or maybe he should wear full body armor. But there are still gaps in the armor, where you could see the skin - and if they notice Shadow Hoof's dark color, ponies will uncover his plan for sure.

Finally, Shadow Hoof dropped Wonderbolt into the bed. He snored loudly, as he made himself comfortable in this set of clouds. Now, it was time to get his armor.

Wonderbolt kept his set of armor in the shelf, nearby his bed. He boasted that it can't be stolen, since he can hear its creaks even in his deepest dreams. But those boasts remained boasts as Shadow Hoof was putting on the armor, and Wonderbolt didn't even flinch, only snoring loudly. Shadow decided to wear a cape to hide the gaps in the armor, which was nearby, lying on the cupboard. A sky blue piece of cloth was quite fitting for the attire.

Shadow Hoof was ready. The armor was quite fitting for him, covering every part of his body, and the cape hid all the gaps. He looked almost exactly as Wonderbolt. Now he just has to wait for tomorrow, and when the battle starts, pegasi will see their hero in the worst of his manifestations.

* * *

Two armies were standing against each other - one high in the sky, other down on the ground. One seeks to conquer, other seeks to protect. One dressed in white and blue, other dressed in black and grey.

Shadow Hoof was standing in front of the pegasi army, looking down at the crystal ponies. There were so many of them. Thousands upon thousands of warriors in masks, with no mercy in their hearts, and undying loyalty. He looked back, and saw the pegasi army - rash, hot headed youngsters, or ponies who didn't want to fight at all, but were forced to. But there was something uniting them all - their hero, their idol, Wonderbolt. They were all looking up to him, hoping to be like him one day.

Shadow Hoof was about to break their dreams once and for all. He was about to show them, who Wonderbolt really is. He still felt the pain in his soul for what he was about to do, but he knew there is no other way to achieve peace - give up, or die in flames.

The sky was covered in grey clouds, and thunder was booming somewhere afar. Nothing predicted a good outcome for this day. Nothing.

"Let's crush them! Drive them out of our land! Wonderbolt, lead us to victory!" - the pegasi shouted, calling to action. They were eager to fight, eager to spill blood for glory and honor. Shadow Hoof couldn't stand it - his limbs were trembling, as he looked down into the abyss that was this crystal army.

"Hey, what's the hold up?" - Commander Hurricane shouted from the crowd. He wanted to be with his comrades, fighting alongside them - and was just as displeased to waste time just standing around.

Shadow Hoof knew the time has come. Time to strike down pegasi where it hurts - let them see their idol fall. He flew up in the air, and flew as fast as he could... away from the enemy. He could feel all these glances, casted on him from behind. Confusion, panic, fear, hatred - he felt it all, as he escaped the battlefield, or rather 'Wonderbolt' did.

The whole army was in deep shock, as none of them could even move a muscle, as they saw their hero run away in fear, escape from the battle as fast as he could.

"That doesn't change anything! TO ARMS!" - Commander Hurricane shouted, landing in front of his army. Even though he was just as shocked as his army, he knew that they had to fight. However, his commands fell deaf on the pegasi's ears, as they didn't even move, still looking at each other in shock.

Meanwhile, down on the ground, Sombra grinned as he saw this supposed 'hero' fly away in fear. The distraction, created by Shadow Hoof was enough for air-balloons to get in position to fire. Several seconds later, the town was struck by bolts of energy, exploding in monstrous shockwaves. Panic has grasped the hearts of pegasi, as they flew up in the air, some trying to escape, others seeking to fight.

Commander Hurricane managed to gather those willing to fight back in the group, and tried to lead them into battle, but crystal ponies opened fire, while advancing at the same time, preparing to drop out in the town itself.

* * *

Wonderbolt barely managed to open his eyes. His limbs felt like they were filled with metal, as he could hardly move. His head was aching horribly, and the unclear sounds were reaching his ears.

Wonderbolt got up from his bed, and looked around - the room looked okay. Then, he looked into his closet, and his blood stood still. His armor was gone! And slowly he started to realize that the sounds from the outside are the sounds of raging battle. Desperate, Wonderbolt ran out of his room without even putting on a helmet.

When he finally got out of the castle, he saw devastation and ruin. Crystal ponies were walking on the clouds, shooting anything that dared to rise up against them. Wonderbolt quickly flew up, evading the shots that were fired at him, trying to find at least some organized defense.

Suddenly, he noticed Commander Hurricane, holding position in some house. Well, not so much holding position as in constantly retreating. Wonderbolt landed nearby, surprising the hell out of them.

"Wonderbolt?! You're back? What in the hell is going on?" - Commander shouted, as the bolts of energy were flying by.

"I think I have overslept. What happened?" - Wonderbolt said, and Hurricane looked at him. Then, he explained the whole situation.

With every uttered word, Wonderbolt's anger was rising. Somepony impersonated him! Stole his armor! Disgraced him! But... where is Shadow Hoof?

"Have you seen Shadow Hoof? I think he might be in danger!" - Wonderbolt said.

"No, I haven't seen him. There was only your impersonator. We thought you let him take a bit of a nap" - Hurricane replied, and slowly the cold truth hurt Wonderbolt's soul. He remembered the drink he had together with his friend - could it be? Could it be that Shadow Hoof was this impersonator?

"We're losing, friend! We're losing hard! Half of our army is in jeopardy, and if we lost this town, we are done for! No more Pegasi Republic!" - Commander screamed, but Wonderbolt quickly calmed him down.

"Please, Commander. Now, I need you to listen to me and do everything as I say. Take as many ponies as you can and escape. I will hold the crystal army back, I'll try to stall them. You run, and try to survive!"

"We are... pegasi... We never run from the battle!"

"Please, listen. If you don't retreat now, the sun may not even touch us anymore. We will all be dead. Retreat now. Save our race!" - Wonderbolt shouted, and Hurricane lowered his head in acceptance. It hurt him to do this, but he commanded his troops to find all the ponies they can save, and fly away as fast as they can. He and Pansy will lead this retreat.

"What will you do? You can't defeat them alone" - Pansy said, and Wonderbolt smiled.

"No, I can't. But I can hold them back. Goodbye, friends. It will be the last time we will ever speak. Take care!" - he said, and sprung into the air, and flied into the enemy ranks.

He fought like a beast, crushing enemies with his bare hooves. Swiftly, like water going around rocks, he dodged the enemy fire, defeating dozens and dozens of soldiers. But he wasn't interested in the small fish. He wanted to get down to the ground, and face whoever was leading this ravaging horde.

He flew up into the sky, as the wind embraced him as its equal. He closed his eyes, letting the breeze scutch his mane... for the last time in his life. He dodged all the blast fired at him, and aimed for the only place he could land on - a speck of free land, before a small throne, probably built for the leader to observe the battle.

He slammed into the ground, raising clouds of dust up in the air. The Void Watchers quickly prepared to shoot this unprotected target, but a thundering voice ordered them to stop.

"Stop!... Very, very impressive, I have to admit" - Sombra said, as he rose up from his throne, and walked down to him. "You alone have managed to get through my army. A feat, worth of a legend indeed"

"Your approval disgusts me, monster!" - Wonderbolt replied, looking furiously at Sombra, who was smiling.

"Monster? That's so cute, coming from a winged freak!" - Sombra answered, in a somewhat angry voice. "You should be proud when you are blessed with approval of your superior"

"You are not superior to me. I am a simple warrior, honest and proud. You are a greedy monster, who strives for nothing but power and wealth. There is nothing dear to your heart"

"That's not for you to decide! You have no idea what is dear to my hard. But as far as I know, all that is dear to YOUR heart is battle, blood and glory" - Sombra answered, and Wonderbolt grinned.

"Maybe. All of us pegasi are like that" - he replied. Sombra sneered.

"Oh, not all. Somepony by the name of Shadow Hoof only wanted to live in peace. That's why he came to me" - he said, as Wonderbolt felt his heart fall to pieces. To the last second he hoped that it would be some snitch... not his best friend. Wonderbolt didn't say anything in reply, as Sombra looked at him with rage.

"Before I kill you, think just for a moment - was it all worth it? Was your life worth living just to end like this?" - Sombra said, trying to plant some seeds of normal sense into this pony. Wonderbolt just smiled weakly.

"I don't know. All that matters is that I will be remembered fondly. What about you?" - Wonderbolt said, and Sombra sneered.

"I am not planning to die in near future. Not until my mission is complete" - Sombra said.

As Wonderbolt rushed towards with a vicious hit, that would kill anypony in seconds, he felt the very air around his neck solidifying. He was unable to hit Sombra, as his horn started glowing black, and he broke the pegasus's neck with ease.

As Wonderbolt's lifeless body fell on the ground, Sombra couldn't help but feel a little sad for this pony. He gave away his life to protect his people, but in the end, he failed, and his friend - the traitor, succeeded. In the end it will be Shadow Hoof who the pegasi will thank for their survival, not Wonderbolt. Sad, really.

* * *

As Hurricane was slowly looking back, seeing the last fortress of the pegasi fall, being demolished by vicious bombardment, he didn't know how he should feel. This was the end for the Republic. He looked around, to see all those that survived this brutal onslaught. There were hundreds of ponies - but thousands were left behind, at the mercy of Crystal Empire.

The most brutal thing was the self-sacrifice of Wonderbolt. It may seem like he distracted them for seconds, but those seconds were enough for Hurricane and Pansy to retreat.

Now, this bunch of pegasi was walking somewhere, away from these lands, that used to be their home, but now are nothing but a painful reminder of cruelty, treachery and bloodshed.

"I promise you, friend... You will not be forgotten" - Hurricane whispered to himself, thinking of Wonderbolt. If they ever find a new home, he will make sure he is remembered as the hero he was. But this war... Hurricane wished he could forget it. He wished he could forget everything involving Crystal Empire. Even for such a hardened warrior as Hurricane, their cruelty was... baffling. Say what you want about Lux - he was a saint compared to this Sombra. The Dark Emperor, who ravaged their lands and killed thousands. His name must be forgotten. This horror must be forgotten.

The day was coming to its end, as this bunch of pegasi were going further and further away from their homeland, in search of a new home.

* * *

King Palladium was huddling on his throne, trying to suppress the horrible pain in his head. Not long ago, strange voices started speaking in his head - they spoke in chorus, almost sang. However, it was something beyond his comprehension.

Princess Platinum was always nearby, treating him and trying to ease his pain, but it was to no avail.

"Sweet heavens, why is this happening to us?" - she sobbed to herself. She dreamed of the days where there was no danger, no pain and no suffering. Where everything was easy and simple. Clover the Clever was around to help her at all time.

Once this castle was always full of ponies, invited for Platinum's parties. Now, it is a grim place, with servants gloomily walking through the corridors. The news from the front were even more harder to hear - reports of mass slaughter, whole villages being burned down to the ground, mass graves. It was painful to hear, and poor Platinum started having nightmares about it. She could see all those ponies, slowly being roasted in the fire, while a hellish, deformed face of some monster was laughing.

Several days ago, a messenger from Crystal Empire has arrived. He informed that Emperor Sombra wishes for negotiations. Platinum was very suspicious about this, but her father insisted for her to agree - he wanted to see the monster, who is the cause of his tribe's suffering.

Sombra has agreed to arrive at Palladium's castle, at the cost of promise that this will not be any kind of trick. The day has been set - it is today, and the Emperor is probably on his way.

"I am telling you - this won't end well. Why father agreed to let this monster here is beyond me!" - Platinum said to Clover, when they finally found a second to chat alone.

"Your father is a very smart pony. I am sure he has some kind of trick up his hoof. Maybe this is all a trap set for Sombra" - Clover responded.

"I hope so. I really, truly do" - Platinum said, looking outside. She noticed that many ponies in the streets were gathering their things, as if they were going somewhere.

"What's that all about?" - Platinum asked, but Clover only shrugged - if she only knew.

"You should ask your father. Besides, he wanted to see you after all. It seemed like he had something important to say" - Clover said, and Platinum sighed.

"Yeah, I'm coming. Please... could you go with me? I'm a bit worried" - she said, and Clover smiled.

"Of course, your highness" - she said, following Platinum to the main hall, where her father was waiting.

The hall seemed darker than usual, though it may be just the outside weather - rainy, gloomy and dark. King Palladium was sitting on his throne, looking at the ceiling. He was suffering, and you could see it on his face - tired, with black circles under eyes, he looked just pathetic.

"Father, what is it you called me for?" - Platinum asked, smiling, in a caring voice.

"Platinum... Come here, girl" - he said. Princess approached him, and he hugged her.

"Dear, I need you to go out of the castle, and lead our people away from here" - he uttered. "Away from these lands, as far as you can get away from Crystal Empire"

"What? What about you? I won't leave you here!" - she said, and king smiled in reply.

"I am weak and old. I will be a nuisance. You have to leave these lands, for they are doomed. Please, heed your old pony's advice and leave"

"I don't want to! I will not leave you behind" - Platinum replied roughly.

"Go, now! He is close! He will not spare anypony! RUN!" - he shouted, and, finally Platinum started to move away. King was proud of her - though he didn't know thoroughly if she was ready to lead the unicorns, but he knew she has changed to a better pony now. If she is quick, she and what is left of unicorn tribe will leave Great Fields, never to return again. When Sombra arrives, he will find an empty castle, with only Palladium ready to greet him.

* * *

The caravan of unicorn survivors has made its way, and the city could be seen slowly disappearing behind the hills. Many ponies were still sad about leaving their homes behind, they were complaining and whimpering. But there were those who had to leave their families behind. Those were absolutely silent, they didn't utter a single word.

One of those ponies was Platinum. She didn't talk with anypony, she just looked down at the ground, remembering. Her life was so bright and colorful. Galas, parties, lots of fun - she had everything a young girl would want. Then, the war came and took everything. It took her friends, who had to either help the frontline or participate in the building of the defenses. It took all the fun, as everypony around her turned very serious and grim. Now, it took her family, her beloved father. Of course, they had their share of grudges, they had their trouble in communication. Palladium had a lot of trouble finding an understanding with his trouble, having to raise her daughter alone. He couldn't understand her passion for fashion, fame and especially boys, and she was infuriated by his lack of humor…. But they truly loved each other. After every angry conversation they had, they would always hug each other talk about some things they both enjoyed. Now there will be no grudges, no tears, no conversations. No reading novels together, no making up jokes, nothing. It was all taken from her.

She didn't express any kind of sadness, but inside, she wanted to cry. Just lie down in her bed and cry. She looked back, and saw clouds of smoke, slowly rising from the ground. This was all that remains from the villages, towns and cities Crystal Empire managed to get their hooves on. Smoke, ash and cinders.

"My Princess….. how do you feel?" – Clover asked, approaching Platinum.

"How do you think I should feel, Clover? ... Not good… Not good at all" – she replied, and Clover tried to hug her.

"Don't drown in your sorrows, Princess. You have your tribe to care about. Do you think your father would fall in depression and give up?"

"No… he wouldn't. And I will not fail him. I will lead these ponies to a better future, somewhere far away from these lands" – Platinum said, lifting her head and looking bravely at the horizon. Do not worry, father! You may rest, for I, Queen Platinum, will lead the unicorns to a better future!"

* * *

Soldiers opened the doors before Sombra, bowing before he entered. Palladium wondered if this guy had his servants carry a red carpet around for him.

Sombra looked very displeased – it seems he has noticed that half of the entire city was missing.

"Welcome to our city, Emperor Sombra" – Palladium said, barely managing to get up from his throne. His vision was blurry, he felt sick and the headache just got worse.

"Your suaveness is not threatening me one bit" – Sombra answered. "Skip to the point, and attack me – just know that you will not succeed"

Palladium smiled – it seems he managed to piss off this great and powerful emperor, managed to thwart his plans.

"I do not wish to fight you, Emperor. I thought you wanted to talk" – Palladium responded as he slowly walked towards Sombra, stumbling and reeling. He almost bumped into Sombra when they finally met in the center of the hall.

"You don't feel well, your majesty. I don't think my interference is even necessary – the nature will claim you soon enough" – Sombra said, looking at his opponent. He couldn't believe he wasted so much time getting here, only to be confronted by some old fool.

"Do not underestimate your opponent, young Emperor. It's my honest advice" – Palladium said, smiling. Sombra grinned in reply.

"Thank you for this useful advice, but believe me – I never underestimate my enemies. And you are way below my league"

Palladium knew that. He felt that Sombra's power surpassed his own by a lot. But he also felt something else.

"You may be stronger… but this power is destroying you. You are on your way to self-destruction"

"Maybe… but it gets the job done" – Sombra replied.

"Why? Why do you slaughter our people? What did we ever do to you?" – Palladium asked, and Sombra closed his eyes.

"Nothing. It is just a necessary sacrifice"

"Sacrifice? What are you trading thousands, maybe even millions of lives for? Power? Money? Godhood?"

"No, wise king. Not money, not power, not even godhood. It's love" – Sombra said, as his horn started glowing, and Palladium fell on the ground, feeling his life force leaving him.

Palladium was dead within seconds. Without remorse or regret, Sombra ordered to set the city on fire. All those remaining here must die – so no unicorn will ever dare to challenge him.

However, other things were now filling Sombra's mind. The final ceremony to fill the Crystal Heart with souls, and finally charge it. The slaughter that he caused to each tribe should provide him with enough souls to fill the Heart…. and finally set right what once went wrong. Soon, this world will become a paradise for him, her, and crystal ponies.

* * *

The place to hold the ritual was chosen. It was a big open field, the center of Great Fields. Many great battles were fought for the control of this place – it would allow the victor to dictate his rules in the trade between three tribes, and also gain a significant tactical advantage over others in the future conflicts. However, all wars to control the heart of Great Fields ended in a draw, with neither side being able to seize victory.

It was also almost evenly distanced from all three tribes, thus allowing Sombra to capture as many souls as possible. He could feel them in the air – after so many have been killed, their souls were unable, or unready to leave their home, and so they wandered around, unseen and silenced. Soon, they will all find their final resting place in Crystal Heart.

Several other crystal unicorns gathered around the heart to support the spell. The main caster will be Sombra, he will drag the souls over to the crystal, and the rest will enhance his power, channeling their energy to him.

Sombra approached the Crystal Heart, and looked at its surface. Slick, shining, sparkling with energy, the Crystal Heart turned darker and darker as Sombra accessed its inner core. However, it was still not enough to dim its bright light. Sombra smiled – if his torment and suffering is not enough, let's see if a thousand souls will satisfy its hunger!

The ritual has begun, and the unicorns started channeling their energy to Sombra. He used this energy to shroud his eyes in darkness, which blinded him, but also made him able to see the souls of the dead and living. He looked up in the sky and saw thousands upon thousands of spheres, whirling in the air, dancing around in some weird pattern. Sombra could hear their chilling screams of agony and pain, since most of them have died early, and quite violently. There were even some smaller spheres, bearing far more light than others – children.

However, Sombra no longer cared what he has to sacrifice. He felt that his suffering is at its end, and he will not be lonely anymore. There will be a soul in this world that will understand him.

Sombra manipulated dark energies, preparing the Heart to open the rift. The matter of reality has been torn apart above the Crystal Heart, as souls were dragged inside it against their own will. Each of this little spheres let out a chilling scream before being transformed into pure dark energy.

Sombra could feel the power inside the Crystal Heart growing with each passing moment. At first, it turned dim, then darkness started to slowly make its way across its surface. It turned this light crystal into a dark stone, blacker than abyss itself. Its power was beyond godlike.

Sombra couldn't hold back, as he laughed like a child, receiving something he really wanted for his birthday. He could almost feel her breath on his skin again, and her smile, shining before his eyes like a star. The spell of outer vision has disappeared, and he was able to see the real world again. It was a little blurry, and his eyes hurt, but he didn't care. The time has come to cast the Heaven!

"We've succeeded, my Emperor! The heart is pumping with dark energy!" – one of the unicorns said, approaching Sombra.

He didn't say anything. He just did what he was waiting to do long ago. He started drawing the energy from the Heart, preparing every last bit needed to cast Heaven. His blood started boiling from the amount of power he was channeling through his body. Every fiber of his being felt this surge, as it started changing rapidly, adapting and welcoming this new power. Sombra gathered everything he had and tore the rift in the very existence, leading to the other world, a place where all the souls of the dead were living the rest of their eternal existence.

However, Sombra felt that this rift was… not big enough. Even after all he went through, this power was not enough. The rift started closing, releasing all the energy put into opening it back into the Crystal Heart, as Sombra screamed in agony and pain. The energy was being ripped from his body, violently torn out. It felt like the wind was flaying him alive. Though it wasn't the feeling of pain and torment that made Sombra yell – it was his anger, anger born of another failure.

"NOOO!" – he shrieked in hellish voice, as the final specks of Crystal Heart energy were taken from his body. "No! Impossible! How is this not enough?!"

"HOW IS THIS NOT ENOUGH?!" – he screamed as he hit the ground in fury, unleashing a shockwave of dark energy, which made the unicorns, surrounding him, fly back at least five meters.

After all this slaughter, after all this genocide, after all this murder… it was still not enough. Sombra cringed in fury, as dark energies were surrounding him. It didn't matter! If this spell needs more, he will get more. If Sombra has to kill more, he will kill more! If he needs to destroy the world, he will destroy this world, and a thousand more worlds, only to bring her back! He is ready to tear the whole universe asunder, if only it will let him be with her forever!

"Your majesty, what's wrong?" – one of the unicorns asked, getting up and approaching Sombra.

"We need more energy… Much more" – he mumbled in reply, looking down into the ground. "Get to the generals, and tell them I order a crusade to be commenced"

"Against whom?"

"Against all! My armies will march through all the lands and harvest me enough souls! Tell them that the First Crusade is now in process! All our subjects must work hard to supply this great holy war, but in the end, when we are triumphant, the whole known world will belong to us. Nothing will stop the Crystal Empire!" – Sombra shouted. The unicorn bowed to him, and walked away slowly to pass this order to the generals.

Soon, the whole world will tremble when Sombra's great army will march through the mountains, rivers and fields, on their way to conquer the world. Gryphon Kingdom, The Breezing Plain, a place where little furry rabbit-like creatures found their home, many other races – they will all become servants to Crystal Empire and its Emperor.

When Krystal returns, she will see not just a world – she will see rapture, paradise, heaven on earth. Sombra will make sure it will happen so.

The narrow road lead the earth ponies to the mountains. The wind was cold and brutal, and the skies were covered in black clouds of ash and smoke. It was hard to breathe, but they still carried on.

Smart Cookie was sitting beside Puddinghead, who was staring into the ground with her eyes wide open. The silence around them was very stressing and hard to take – Smart Cookie wanted anypony to say at least a word, a whisper, but the gloomy atmosphere was here to stay.

They didn't know where they were going. While on the run, Puddinghead, Smart Cookie and their bodyguards managed to save several villages, inviting them to this grand exodus from the Great Fields. Earth ponies were really attached to this land – many generations their kind lived here, and there was no need to move. But crystal ponies were advancing menacingly, destroying and enslaving every village and town they stumbled upon. They were killing all the stallions, capable of fighting back, and gathered mares and children, leading them to some kind of concentration camps.

On their way, they have met a child, who managed to escape from such camp. He told them about the horrifying things that were happening there.

There some stallions that refused to fight back or just accepted the dominion of the Crystal Empire and were allowed to live. Ponies like these became wardens and guards in the camps. They watched over the prisoners, forcing them to work on the field. Basically, he told that crystal ponies were using earth ponies as slaves and free working force.

After those news, Puddinghead became even more secluded and gloomy. She didn't talk at all, and always kept quiet. Smart Cookie could feel her suffering, her torment about seeing her people exterminated, but they both knew they couldn't do anything. She was very worried about Chancellor – she started to behave very differently. At times, when she wasn't silent and gloomy, she behaved like a little child, talking nonsense and doing stupid things. Smart Cookie was really anxious about Puddinghead's mental health. All this pressure and horrors seems to have done a horrible damage to her sanity.

Smart Cookie didn't know if other tribes managed to hold out against the invasion. All the messages they sent to them, asking for help, warning them, have been left unanswered. Maybe they were in one league with the Empire, and watched, as the earth tribe was torn to pieces, or maybe they are destroyed as well. Smart Cookie highly suspected the latter, since the amount of ash and smoke in the sky couldn't be just from their villages and piles of dead earth ponies Crystal Empire left in its wake. Maybe they will meet again, but it will be in other lands, away from here.

There was only one thing Smart Cookie and Puddinghead absolutely agreed about – no memories of these tragic events must be saved. This will be a great shame and horror for the next generation, to know that their ancestors had to abandon their homeland to some insane Emperor. Maybe a legend has to be made, that will provide a good reason for them to leave their home like that, but all those thoughts were left for the future – now, they just have to survive.

Great Fields, that once were a place of happiness and growth, a symbol of progress and evolution, are now stained with blood and tears. The fields that once lavished in green are now a prison, where ponies die under the whips of their jailers. The remaining ponies of these proud three tribes now search for a new home, with ash and cinders, which remain in their memories as something they used to call home.


	10. We call upon our gods Part One

The streets were dirty, and every step you took you risked stepping into a puddle of mud. The cold air was blowing, making you wrap around your scarf even harder.

Crystal ponies were gloomily slogging through the streets of their once great city. Once one could just wonder where they were going – some were hurrying up for work, some wanted to relax and were looking for café, some were just walking around. Now, there was only work, and nothing but work.

If you skip a day, the punishment is confiscation of all your property. Your house, your lands, your clothes – everything will be taken, to compensate for the economic damage you caused. Then, you either go to the special complex for homeless, where you will be given a small room, no matter if you have a family or not, or wander the streets as a homeless. Then, you will be caught by Void Watchers and either killed, or join the Void Watch.

After the atrocities the army committed in the Great Fields by the order of the Emperor, many towns and cities started protesting, refusing to supply the army anymore. Strikes, sometimes even riots, started occurring in the Empire. Ponies were disappointed in Sombra. Some publically wanted him to go away.

Void Watch quickly took care of this issue – ponies were shot by dozens, sometimes even whole families. Those, who surrendered, were put into the same concentration camps, where they were forced to mine for crystals, along with criminals, murderers, traitors and other scum.

Sombra came up with more and more laws that would ensure the stability and order in the Empire – regular streets patrols, population control, propaganda. Everywhere you could see the posters with his face, calling you to work harder, 'for the good of the Empire'. The crusade needed a lot of resources – and he put the whole country to work for this cause.

Crusade was a huge success – the territory of Crystal Empire expanded greatly, and more and more miles were captured every day. But it didn't make the common ponies any happier – for they knew what was going there. All foreign species, all other races Void Watch encountered, they exterminated. There was a rumor that Sombra has a giant doll of a gryphon in his bedroom, made from parts of real gryphons.

The moans of pain, and cries for help became a common thing in Crystal City. Ponies were hungry, as most of food supplies were sent to the fronts. They were crawling through the dirty streets, looking even for a patch of grass to eat. Some started eating insects, there were rumors of cannibals.

An unicorn in a dusty grey cloak, that was masking his face, was calmly walking through the streets, making his way to the palace. He avoided any dark corners, alleys or guard patrols.

Suddenly, an old pony walked out of the alley just to the right of him. She was pale and very thin – you could almost see her ribs.

"Where….where is she…. I wonder where she went….." – she mumbled to herself, as she approached the unicorn. He looked into her eyes and turned away – they were full of tears, and you could see the fire of madness in them. It seems this poor mare has lost somepony dear to her. Maybe a husband, maybe a daughter, or maybe her whole family. Her pathetic look made the unicorn turn away in sorrow.

"Who are you looking for?"- he asked, and she quickly turned to him.

"My niece….. I was supposed to watch over her… now I can't find her… Have you seen her?" – she asked, and the unicorn sighed.

"No, I haven't…. you should probably go home… it's not safe here at this time of day" –he recommended, and she giggled.

"What home? I don't have a home. They said I don't need a home, for scum belongs in the street, not in the complexes" – she replied, looking around and giggling nervously. What happened to this poor pony to drive her to such madness? The unicorn sighed heavily and took out a small pouch from under his cloak.

"Here. This isn't much, but you can buy a loaf of bread" – he said, as she took the pouch. "Find your niece, and try to stay out of sight. It will all be over very soon".

"Thank you, good sir. I won't forget your kindness!... I promise – I won't!" – she said, and walked away. The unicorn sighed and continued his way to the palace – where the retribution for his sins was waiting. Maybe now, he will manage to set things right.

The entrance to the palace was guarded, as he expected. Two heavily armored guards were standing to the each side of the gate. When the unicorn approached, one of them pointed the gun right at him.

"The Emperor does not take guests today. None may pass without invitation" – he said, approaching the unicorn.

"The Emperor knows me. I am his relative" – he said, without even looking at the guard, continuing to hide his face behind the cloak.

"Why should I believe you?"

"If you send me away now, the Emperor will send you after me later anyway. Why waste his time when we can just finish this?"

"Hmph…. Alright. Go ahead" – the guard replied, lowering his gun and shouting at the other guard, so he would help him open the door.

The massive doors were opened, and this sound echoed through the hall. The unicorn entered quickly, and made his way to the throne.

He was amazed to see the throne hall for the first time, but he didn't show it. He kept his calmness, resorting to just carefully looking around. His target was in sight – Sombra was sitting on the throne, looking a bit sleepy. His eyes were closed, and he looked motionless. The unicorn sighed quietly, gathered up all his courage, and approached him.

"Who let you here? I thought I told those two morons not to let anypony here!" – Sombra said, without opening his eyes, rubbing his head. It seems he is suffering from a bad headache.

"We need to talk" – the unicorn said calmly, and Sombra suddenly opened his eyes wide, looking with fury and surprise at this unicorn.

"So…. You survived after all….. Amethyst" – he said, looking at his father with hatred. Amethyst took off his cloak, revealing himself.

His mane was white in some places, and the face was covered in wrinkles – the old age was getting to him. His eyes looked weary and tired, but full of resolve. The light of his crystal skin turned dim long ago.

"Yes, I survived. And please, call me father" – he replied, approaching Sombra.

"Don't you even dare to ask me that. You are no father to me" – Sombra replied, getting up from the throne. "Where did you find enough alcohol to 'make' yourself enough courage to come here?"

"I don't drink anymore…." – Amethyst said, lowering his head.

"What a relief. Congratulations. Feel better?" – Sombra said, coming close to him and staring at him with fury. "Why did you come here? What do you want?"

"I want to bring back my son…" – Amethyst said, looking back at Sombra. "I was looking for you for so many years… then I heard about you becoming the Prime General. I thought you grew up, thought you didn't need me anymore…. Now, I see that I was wrong. You're still the same child, lost, confused. Please, son, stop this madness. Can't you see how much pain you are causing?"

"I can" – Sombra replied quietly.

"Sombra… It doesn't matter how much blood is spilt…. You can't bring your past back!... This wound on your soul still aches – you cause pain because you feel pain. Please, Sombra, stop – accept things as they are and let's go home. Too many have died already because of you – don't take any more sins upon your soul" – he said, approaching Sombra and touching his hoof. "I know I caused you much pain, but please, listen to me. Don't repeat my mistakes – don't make others suffer because you feel bad".

"Stop… and go home? Just give up? Those are the words of a coward and a weak pony, father" – Sombra replied, pushing Amethyst away. "You were always weak. You gave up hope so fast…. You weren't broken – you broke yourself. You chose to be weak and helpless, drown yourself in self-pity. You gave up hope on life when I needed you the most…. Now, you are useless to me. You are still the same weak drunk fool. I have changed – I am much stronger now. I am no longer that weak child you could freely abuse. I am different now".

With these words, Sombra violently pushed his father away, knocking him down on the ground.

"You can no longer tell me what to do! I forge my own path! And my path is crossed with hers, and there is nothing you can do to change that! She is my fate, my destiny!" – he shouted loudly, coming down to his father, looking at him with despise.

"Please, son, stop! Do you think she will accept you? She loved that sweet kid Sombra, she gave him presents, she walked together with him…. Will she love the monster you have turned into?" – Amethyst said, looking at Sombra. A small tear was running down his face.

Sombra looked down on the ground, as heavy thoughts were crossing his mind, and his heart slowed down.

"I….I….." – he mumbled unsurely. He never thought of this before. Will Krystal accept what he is? So many years have passed – he is so different now.

But Sombra drove away these thoughts, for he had only one goal on his mind.

"I don't care. I want her back – that's all that matters" – he replied firmly. "I will not become like you, father. I will not abandon hope, never. I will never betray those I love. I am not like you, I will never be. I will be a monster – but I won't be you"

"I see…" – Amethyst replied, getting up.

"You can't stop me now, father. It doesn't matter to me how many have to die – I will accomplish my goal. Even if I have to kill those who stand at my side" – Sombra said.

"Kill me then… Please, end my suffering – I can't bear to see my son turning into a demon" – Amethyst said, and Sombra's horn started glowing. A cloud of energy formed above his head, and flew right into Amethyst.

When the dust settled down, Amethyst looked around – he was still alive. In fact, he felt better than before – his body felt renewed, and his mind felt clear of whispers of madness, that seem to come with age.

"Kill you? No" – Sombra said, approaching him. "Death is too good for you".

"What…. What have you done to me?"

"I used Crystal Heart to grant you eternal youth. You will not age any longer, and time shall not kill you. Only the fangs, hooves, or anything else will end your life" – Sombra said. "I want you to see how I accomplish my goal. I want you to feel this tormenting feeling in your soul when you see that I was right. I want you to see me be happy. That is a good enough punishment for you"

Amethyst got up slowly, and Sombra walked back to his throne.

"Leave now. I will not hunt you, nor will I disturb you in any way. I just want you to live long enough to see me be happy once more…. Unless you are cowardly enough to kill yourself"

"No… I will not repeat my mistake again. I shall not stay still as well!" – Amethyst shouted, and started walking towards the exit. "I cannot defeat you – but I will find those who can"

Sombra didn't reply, and Amethyst finally left. It felt so strange to see his father again – he really thought he was dead. Though the old man is seriously gone off the rails, if he thought Sombra can be talked out of his mission. And if he really believes he can find a pony stronger than him now - he is gravely mistaken. All the books in the Forbidden Library have been destroyed, Sombra is the only one in the world who possesses this knowledge. Professors of Magic Academy never used the books, and never read them themselves, so they are no threat to him.

His crusade was a success, and his armies were marching through other countries, claiming them in his name. After hundreds of nights without sleep, Sombra finally managed to make progress in his studies - he managed to enhance the Crystal Heart, so it can harvest souls from miles afar! That way he doesn't have to travel all around the world, collecting souls. However, it does have some consequences - like some crystals getting overtaken by dark magic, growing twice in size and turning pitch black. They became useless for anypony except Sombra, since only he could manipulate that much dark energy without getting his mind torn to pieces by visions.

It would be wrong to say that he didn't have these visions - in fact, they were haunting him all the time. He just learned to deal with them. But, every time he went to sleep, the nightmares continued to haunt him.

It was the same every time - darkness, all around it him. It comes closer, it breathes on him, it desires to grasp him and drag him into nothingness. Its long bizarre claws reach for him, he can hear evil chuckles and cackling all around.

It looks like some kind of an entity, made out of pure darkness. He can see millions of faces forming in its wreathing embrace. They all scream in anger and pain.

This darkness surrounds Sombra, slowly coming closer and closer, but each time, he notices a light in the distance. It's weak, it's dim, but in this unending black, it feels like a sun. Sombra towards it, away from this darkness that continues to chase him. Its cackle reaches his ears, and he shudders, but he continues to run. In the light, ahead of him, he sees a pony, an unicorn. He runs towards this figure, as fast as he can, but it seems that the light just keeps going away.

He cannot guess who the pony in the light is. He can only see the silhouette. He can't even make out if it is a stallion or a mare. At first, he thought it was Krystal, and the dream was representing his struggle to bring her back. Then, Sombra saw the lineaments of his father, and it hit him - maybe he is fighting to avenge and punish, not to save?

There were other ponies who he thought were standing in that light, but he stopped trying to make sense of it. He just tried not to sleep too much, for these dreams were really stressing him. The darkness kept getting closer and closer, he could almost feel its cold on his flesh, and the light just kept backing away from him.

Sombra didn't know what these dreams meant, but he knew for certain that they will be gone once Krystal is back. The nightmare, that lasted through his whole life, will be over. He has suffered enough. The end of this whole charade was drawing close. Sombra felt it with his very heart.

* * *

Amethyst was quickly walking away from the palace, hiding his face behind the cloak. The sky was turning darker and darker, and the single drops of rain started falling.

He knew that nothing would come out of this idea - his son is losing the battle against himself. He's descending deeper and deeper into darkness, just like Amethyst was long ago. The only difference is that Amethyst was only hurting his only son - Sombra torments the whole world, even the Crystal Empire is not safe from him. The horrors you could see on the street were a proof of that.

Amethyst was never proud of what he did. His addiction to alcohol, his gambling, his constant abuse of Sombra - he made a lot of horrible mistakes. He deserves all the punishment the fate will throw at him. But now, he sees that Sombra is falling into the same abyss as he did. He came here to prevent his fall, only to discover he's already at the bottom.

When Willemite passed away, Amethyst couldn't stop feeling guilty. He remembered his whole life with her, and moped over the things that are long gone. Cried over the broken dish, that you can't recreate - you may try to put the pieces together, but they will just cut your hooves, leaving you alone to cry over a broken fate, bleeding. This feeling of guilt blinded Amethyst - he didn't care about those suffering around him. All, that mattered was what he wanted - and Amethyst wanted her. In his blind sorrow he hurt those around him, especially Sombra.

Poor kid... he should have ran away earlier. Maybe then he would have grown up a better pony. But he stayed. Up until Amethyst dealt him the blow he couldn't forgive.

Amethyst remembers the moment he was lying in the dirt, surrounded by the remains of his house. Sombra's attack was quick and efficient, and it should have killed him. But a kind pony found Amethyst lying in dirt, twitching in pain, and helped him.

This finally snapped Amethyst out of his blindness. One second he was at the bottom of the abyss - this attack, this blast, composed of sheer hatred, pushed him out of the pit, towards the light. The medicine was bitter, but it helped.

He tried to persuade Sombra with words, but it proved useless. He is just as lost as Amethyst was - and there is only one way now. He has to be stopped.

Amethyst sighed, and pulled the cloak over his head, trying to shield himself from the rain. He didn't know where to look for the one stronger than Sombra, and if there is such a pony. But Amethyst will keep on looking until he finds this hero or heroine. He will correct his mistake - he will save his son, even if it means dethroning him.

The lightning pierced the dark sky, and Amethyst sped up - he wanted to leave the city as soon as possible. His way will be difficult, and without a clear goal or destination it's nigh impossible. But Amethyst will accomplish it - anything, to bring his stray son back to light.

* * *

The sun was high up in the sky, bathing Caede in its warm embrace. The sunlight was reflecting from his crystal skin, making it shimmer and sparkle. But this light struggled to get through the blood, that was covering him.

He was standing in the centre of a massacre. Everywhere you look, the torn bodies of ponies were lying. Some were still breathing and crawling, but their fate is clear - they will soon bleed out and die, just like the rest.

The battle happened in the small village - these ponies lived in small huts, their main income was trading with other villages, just as small as this. Their usual days consisted of hunting for berries and edible plants in the woods. Their stock piles consisted of big pits they dug out and covered with wooden planks, leaves and other things.

Crystal ponies found this village at the noon. These small tribes would be useless to them, and they would have just passed through these lands, without much resistance, as ponies around here were quite peaceful, but Sombra's orders were clear - he needed more workers for the plantations in the Great Fields.

Caede walked forwards, to the place where all the strong, healthy and able to breed mares were gathered - they were to be kept alive, at all costs. Children are not to be killed as well, since they make for fine workers and soldiers if educated. All the males, old and sick were to be killed.

At first, generals questioned Sombra's logic - why would you kill the healthy, strong stallions? They are much better workers than mares. They were quickly shut up by the Emperor - if the concentration camps are filled with stallions, who says they won't try to rebel?

"Who would you rather face - a strong stallion, filled with rage and desire to kill, or a mare, who has a little foal or filly to protect?" - those were his exact words, Caede remembers them like his own name, and he remembered the generals' reaction.

Metal Eye turned silent and grim, Orthoclase called Sombra a genius, a true philosopher, Syanede smiled, admiring this idea. Syanede was loyal to Sombra, but he wasn't admiring him, making him his idol, like Orthoclase started to. Fortis said nothing, but he kept his cool, didn't show any emotions. Other generals spoke up, supporting this idea, none spoke against. Of course they didn't - they still wanted to keep their titles, and their lives.

Caede was glad he didn't have to take part in general meetings anymore - all he had to do is to stand beside Sombra and look intimidating. His conversations with his generals sometimes get downright sadistic - should they separate mothers from their children, so the children can be trained without the fear of mothers' putting unnecessary information in their brain? Or should the children stay with their mothers, but the mares have to be subjugated into loyalty first?

Sombra didn't want to talk about this, for his own reasons he never explained. He ordered the generals to find a solution themselves, and he wants no part in this. After long and hard discussion, generals decided to just cut out the tongues of all the ponies in concentration camps - they have to work, not talk. Sombra was informed of this decision, and he signed it with strange indifference to his eyes, as if he didn't care at all. Maybe he really doesn't, but that's no concern of Caede. The crusade will continue, regardless of the torture the slaves will be subjugated to.

Several Void Watchers arrived, carrying chains and collars to put them on the captured ponies. They will handle the transportation and take care of these mares until they arrive back to the Empire, while Legio Damnant continues its march.

Orthoclase was leading these Void Watchers. What an interesting fellow this Orthoclase is. Caede barely remembers him from his past life, but the differences between Orthoclase of the past and the present are major.

Orthoclase nod to his soldiers, and they quickly started chaining poor ponies, separating them from children and leading them as two separate groups. Some tried to fight back, but were quickly put down by threats or a hit in the gut with the rifle. Orthoclase was looking at the mares with despise and scorn.

"Just look at these dirty barbarians! Filthy rodents is what they are" - he proclaimed loudly, fixing his cape. He was wearing a long white cape, with a special order to keep it fixed - a golden star with an unicorn, standing up on its hind legs, with waves of energy coming out of his horn. An ruby was incrusted into it, and served as an eye for this unicorn.

Orthoclase was very proud of this medal, since he ordered it from the most skilled jeweler in the Empire. The unicorn on this medal was obviously Sombra, no doubt about that. And that was the most major difference between past and present Orthoclase - his scary, almost zealous loyalty to Sombra. Of course, the Emperor demanded that all ponies hailed him as a superior in title, but Orthoclase treated him as a superior being, almost worshipped him. Caede couldn't know when and why Orthoclase started to idolize Sombra so much.

"What does that make you?" - one of more grown up children said, he was about 12 or 13. "You come to our land, you slaughter our people! Who are the barbarians?"

"Oh, a smartass!"- Orthoclase said, twitching a bit from indignation, slowly approaching the boy. Suddenly, he smiled and carefully pat the boy on the head.

Then, just as Caede expected, he violently hit the kid in the face and started beating him. Orthoclase didn't even flinch at the fact that he was beating up a kid. One of the mares tried to rush to the boy's rescue, but was quickly stopped by a Void Watcher, who blocked her path and hit her in the chest with the rifle.

Orthoclase was a strong pony - he packed quite a punch. The first hit knocked the boy unconscious, as he fell down, bleeding all over the ground. Looks like his nose and several teeth were broken. Orthoclase threw several more punches, as the blood squirted from the boy's face, with a very disgusting sound, and got on his face.

Orthoclase swiped it away with the hoof and spat at the body. The kid was dead for sure.

"I don't appreciate smartasses" - he said, grinning. All other kids were looking in horror at what fate has befallen their friend. Some girls even cried in horror and fear.

"This is what happens to those who dare to raise their voice at those superior to them! Behold, and let this image sink into your filthy brain as deep as it can! You all now serve the Empire and Holy Emperor! His word is law - and we carry his word!" - he said, looking at other kids with scorn. "Your lives now belong to him!"

Caede was sure some Void Watchers wanted to tell Orthoclase that priests carry the word, not generals. However, maybe Orthoclase thought of himself as a priest already.

Caede casted an emotionless glance at Void Watchers - none of them stepped out to object to their commander's cruel behavior. Some just turned away, others giggled a bit - Sombra's brainwashing propaganda did a good job turning these kids into merciless killing machines. However, who was Caede to object - he was the best killing machine in this army after all. Who was he to object?

Caede turned his gaze on his own soldiers - covered in blood and guts, they were finishing off the survivors of the slaughter and setting the village on fire. The bodies won't be abandoned here as well - they will be loaded onto wheelbarrows and sent to Great Fields, along with new slaves - turns out, the rot from dead bodies makes for a good fertilizer.

The lines of ponies were slowly walking away from the place that used to be their home, chained and lead by their conquerors to their new home, where they will work until death, then get their bodies used to ease the work for other slaves. The good news from the front in Gryphon Kingdom signified that soon the royal broughams will be carried by these strong creatures, instead of ponies. Orthoclase has already sent a letter to Fortis, who is responsible for this particular front, asking him to send two of the most strongest gryphons for Sombra's carriage. Fortis will probably obey - as much 'honor' he claimed he had, he wanted to please Sombra just as much as Orthoclase, and he can't miss such a chance.

Suddenly, Caede noticed movement in the trees with his peripheral vision. Something was hiding in the flowering green top of an oak-tree. It really looked like a pony, but Caede could only see the silhouette. A spy. Caede didn't like spies.

With a quick and short roar, he ordered his soldiers to engage. Two crystal warriors quickly turned their attention to where their leader was looking and jumped there with horrific speed. They may look big and clumsy, but this crystal skin doesn't slow them one bit. The figure quickly figured out that there is going to be trouble, and quickly started jumping from tree to tree, away from the pursuers. Caede was sure they will catch this pony.

* * *

The pony was quickly jumping from tree to tree, as the sound of cracking wood was reaching the pointy ears. The Legio Damnant was fast and efficient - even though they had to run on the ground, one mistake might kill this pony.

And the nature, that usually is so loyal to this wild wanderer, finally betrays. The branch, on which the pony landed, snaps with a loud crack and falls down, bringing the pony together with it. The impact with the ground is horrendously damaging, as this pony might be agile and quick, the bones are broken quite quickly and painfully.

The Legio Damnant quickly approach, and hear the scream that finally tells them the gender of this pony - certainly a mare, as the voice was quite high pitched. They quickly caught up with her, as she was lying on the ground, screaming in pain.

Completely silent, the crystal warriors approached her, preparing to finish her off. One of them turned his hoof into a big blunt crystal hammer, and lifted it high above his head. The girl looked with terror at him, and her horn started glowing brown. The reality started to warp around her, and she disappeared in a puff of smoke, just seconds before the Damnant's mighty hammer collided with the ground, raising a pillar of dust into the air and covering the ground in cracks. These two looked around for any tracks of this wretch - she was nowhere to be seen. Silent, they head back to their forces - Caede will probably be waiting for a report. And he won't be happy.

* * *

Loir opened her eyes and sighed with relief. That was far too close for her liking.

She found herself in a big round room. The walls were covered in banners, but they were devoid of any insignia - monks of the Temple Supreme are aligned with nopony. The banner were red, but it was a warming color, not screaming blood red or hellish flame. It always reminded Loir of a bonfire, that warms you in the dark of the night.

Loir tried to get up, but the horrendous pain in her broken hoof put her right back down. She wanted to scream, but held it - if bishop finds out she was outside of the Temple, he's going to skin her alive. Not literally, of course.

Loir carefully got up and slowly started to limp towards the exit - she needs to get to her room as fast as possible to treat the wound. Looks like she had a really bad broken bone. But, if she manages to get to her room, she might brew a good potion to...

Her thoughts were interrupted rudely by a loud coughing. It wasn't a natural cough - it was that type of cough that you would emit when you wanted to draw attention. This caught Loir completely off guard and she lost her balance, putting the pressure on the broken limb again, which caused tremendous pain. She screamed in agony, and fell down, rubbing the broken limb in hope that it would ease the pain.

Bishop sighed and approached the girl, looking at her with disappointment.

"I'm sorry..." - Loir said, looking away from bishop's saddened eyes. She felt very guilty now.

"What keeps drawing you outside? I just can't understand you" - he said, and kneeled down before Loir, looking at the broken limb. "Can you walk?"

"Barely" - Loir replied, trying to get up. Bishop quickly helped her, letting her lean on his shoulder. He looked at her quickly - such a young girl, no wonder she is so rebellious. All ponies are like this at this age - especially mares.

She had a maroon colored mane and the skin the color of bronze. Her mane was quite short, since she cut it regularly. She had several small scars on her cheeks, chest and sides - a mark of her previous numerous adventures. The girl was about 17 years old.

"So, in what scrap did you get into this time?" - bishop asked, sounding like it was habitually for him. And it indeed was.

"I...well, some crystal ponies noticed me, and tried to kill me" - Loir replied.

"Crystal ponies? I know you wander very far from the Temple, but how far did you go to meet crystal ponies?" - bishop asked amazedly. Loir sighed - yes, she was quite far from the Temple this time, at least three months of walking, but Crystal Empire's borders don't stretch THAT far... until now, at least.

"And besides, they are quite peaceful..."

"Not anymore. They slaughtered a whole bunch of villages - some of them we used to trade with. Killed all the adult males, and lead females and children away with them. Probably to slavery, as far as I have seen".

"Oh, by sun... Many things have changed in the outside world... Sweet sun..." - bishop uttered.

The Temple Supreme was a very closed out community. They lived in a big monastery high up in the snowy mountains. They never come down from this height, and always keep very conservative of their secret. However, they will help a stranger in need if such will happen to wander here.

"So, they chased you? And you fell down... How did you escape then?" - bishop asked, and Loir turned away. "Oh, heavens, no! NO!"

He lost his patience and almost shouted, but managed to calm down.

"You used the spell without the preparations?" - he said, and Loir nod silently. The biggest secret of Temple Supreme residents was the spell of teleportation for long distances. The spell allowed the monks to visit villages, buy food and drinks without revealing anything of their position. The problem was that the spell emitted a high amount of energetic trail. Ponies with good connection with magic could feel it even from far away, almost kilometers away from the caster. And they could track this trail to the very Temple. So, before casting it, they had to perform difficult ceremonies in order to hide this trail - both when they teleport out of the Temple, and when going back. Bishop looked very pissed, and barely managed to hold himself from unleashing a tirade of curses and insults upon this world.

"Great, just great!... Eh... Listen to me very closely" - he said to Loir. "We do not tell the Patriarch anything, okay? I'll try to hide the trail that was left, and then we hope crystal ponies won't decide to follow it".

Loir nod to this idea, and they continued their way to Loir's room. Bishop looked very disturbed by the news of crystal ponies suddenly going about slaughtering innocents. He remembers first having to deal with them - he was just a young lad back there. The ponies welcomed them quite nicely, and sold them food for a low price.

It makes sense for them to change after so many years, but this much? From peaceful country to warmongers and murderers? What happened there?

However, bishop quickly shrugged off these thoughts. The outside world's problems are of no concern for Temple's residents. The outside world may even burn - but unless Soeurs Luminaires are threatened, it doesn't concern them.

But still, something beneath bishop's skin was telling him that everything was going to change soon. The turn of crystal ponies can mean only trouble.

"Remember, if the solar one talks to you, never even mention what you have seen. Never" - he said to Loir, and she nod silently. Yes, the solar one, despite being older than her lunar sister by many years, or even centuries, was much more brash and quick to judge. She was always eager to rush to help those in need, even if they were complete strangers. Maybe it comes with being the embodiment of the sun, but the truth has to be kept from the sisters - their existence must remain a secret to the world, just like thousands of years before, and thousands of years after.

* * *

The air shook around Amethyst, as he felt something shifting in the world around him. His head started to ache a bit, and he felt dizzy. He quickly sat down on the piece of cloth he laid on the ground to serve as his bed. He shook his head, trying to drive away the headache and finally study this unusual outburst of energy.

The fire was peacefully spluttering, warming the small area around it. The little sparks were flowing high up in the air, carried away by the wind. The trees were slowly rocking back and forth in time with the breeze. However, this peaceful picture was too usual for Amethyst, as he has seen it for dozens of times, in other places like this. Forests, fields - this place was no different from other lands he visited for these three painful years, but he felt this surge of magic for the first time. He has been prowling these lands like a lost predator for a month, and never he has seen something like this.

The magical trail felt like it was very close, but Amethyst knew that was an illusion. It probably starts far away from this place, kilometers to the east - the magical waves were too wide to happen nearby, it seems they were making their way across the world for quite a while. Amethyst sniffed the air - the smell of freshness reached him, giving him more strength to follow this strange path.

He didn't know where it will lead. He didn't know what awaits him, but there were no other choices for him, unless he wanted to still wander around the world, searching for a pony who can overpower his son, who gets stronger with each passing day. This may be just a false alarm, and Amethyst would just waste his time... or he will finally find what he's looking for.

Amethyst sighed, and put his faithful backpack on himself. Inside were some books, materials for rituals and other useful tat. This leathery sack has certainly seen better days - it was old, sullied, some parts of it were torn away, but it served its purpose, still to this very day. A long road awaits ahead - but now, he at least has a clear goal. Amethyst sniffed the air once more, being a bit afraid to lose this magical trail - three years of silence and uncertainty have finally paid off. He finally has some specks of hope, hope to save this world and his son... if there is still some chance to bring him to light.


	11. We call upon our gods Part Two

"Yes, Warden, that is all I have to report for today" - the pegasus said, bowing to the crystal pony. This crystal pony had dark green skin, with his mane being completely shaved off. He was wearing a mask of a Void Watcher, but it was scratched, with many scars, the reminders of past battles crossing this menacing piece of attire. One of the openings for the eye was closed, while in other you could see his only eye, as the light was falling on the pupil, making him make a wry face.

He was wearing a long cape that was hanging from his shoulder. It was crimson red, with golden outlines to signify this pony's status here. And what a status that was!

"Oh, great. We're behind the schedule yet again. Just fucking great!" - Warden mumbled to himself, and ordered the pegasus to leave him. The pegasus, dressed in a collar with special markings on it and some light armor, bowed to him and left quickly.

It is hard to run the concentration camps in Great Fields. And Warden had to watch over the biggest one, called Crystal Night. The vast majority of earth ponies and new slaves were arriving here - and all of them were to work on the fields.

Warden used to be a regular soldier in Sombra's Void Watch. He marched alongside his comrades during the conquest of Great Fields. For his bravery and zeal he was rewarded with demobilization and big pension.

During the war, he really got used to the green fields and blooming forests, so after the Empire's victory he decided to stay here. Fortunately, Sombra allowed his demobilized soldiers to build houses in the remote and peaceful locations, far away from the concentration camps. Back then, they weren't that big.

Warden fell in love with an earth pony - which was strictly forbidden, since the race of crystal ponies had to be kept pure, but he couldn't withstand her beauty. In secret, they were married, but he never told her that he participated in the genocide and enslavement of her people.

It hurt his heart to remember - he gave her everything: freedom, a shelter, his love. But when she found out who he was... All those talks of eternal love and loyalty flew out of the window, as she attacked him with a knife in her teeth. To this very day, the picture of her lying on the ground with that knife in her chest, and him standing above, holding the bleeding wound, covered in blood, haunts him. As painful as it was, he realized that barbarians can't love - they only love themselves.

Filled with rage and sorrow, he rejoined the Void Watch, wishing to kill again, but, because of the lost eye, he was assigned to concentration camp instead. In just a few years he earned a reputation of a ruthless, merciless butcher, as he punished the slaves for every minor mistake with extreme vigor and cruelty. Thus, his name was forgotten - his comrades and even superiors addressed him as Warden.

Sombra noticed Warden's progress, and responded positively. He wrote that the zeal and desire to serve are to be rewarded, so he put Warden in charge of Crystal Night. Under his command, from a small camp and a few fields for plantation, this concentration camp became like a huge city.

Warden went out of his tent, and looked around - from here, he could see Crystal Night in all its glory. The most of the territory was taken by plantations, where earth ponies were working day and night, plowing and fertilizing the ground with ash. Just nearby a gigantic labyrinth of huts and little houses was places - that's where the slaves were living. The huts were small, with special place for bonfire in the centre and five beds. The families were quite big, with one mother and lots of kids. To keep the population in check, Void Watch took the boys who reached puberty away for medical examination. The healthiest and strongest boys are chosen, and then the same process happens to girls. Those who can give birth to healthy and strong children are picked, and then they are paired up with boys. For at least five days they are kept in special buildings where they are free to indulge their primal instincts. After this time, they are released, but the boys are still held separately from all other ponies. As the time passes, doctors check if all the girls are pregnant, and if the children are healthy. If even single one of the girls isn't impregnated, Void Watchers won't sleep until they question every girl in the group and find out who slept with who. When they do, the stallion, who was unable to impregnate the mare is executed in front of them all. The manners of executions change a lot - sometimes, his flesh is torn from him, while he is still alive, sometimes the poor boy is forced to drink wine until he literally chokes on his own vomit.

However, that wasn't the end of the punishment. After the defaulter is dead, his body is carefully cut apart into pieces, and the rest of the boys are forced to eat them. If one fails, all must be punished - that was the motto of Void Watchers in Crystal Night, especially Warden's. But in the end, it didn't matter anyway, as all the boys are killed afterwards, to ensure there is no male population that may take up arms and rebel.

The pregnant girls are treated with special care in another part of this 'town' - the breeding quarters, as slaves use to call them. There, doctors take care of girls while they are pregnant, and until children are born. After that, mother has to pass the test of loyalty to the Emperor - she has to denounce her mother and her whole tribe publically and bow before Sombra's statue, that was placed nearby the Watcher's quarters. If she does that, she is given a hut in the living district, and then her days pass in the fields, while also having to treat her children. If she refuses, both she and her children are muted. The most effective way to do that is to cut out the tongue.

The last section of Crystal Night was the Watcher's Quarters, where all the guards and control lived. But Warden preferred to reside on the hill, where he could see the whole camp with his own eyes. It's wasn't only crystal ponies, serving here as guards - there were also some pegasi, but they were all subjugated and broken. They were usually used as couriers or messengers.

Warden looked at the fields - it was the middle of the day, so they were filled with ponies, working. However, even with all the numbers of slaves Crystal Night had, they were behind the schedule on the grain production, which was very strange - the population was exactly as big as needed to produce enough amount of food, their working tools were up to date. There was only one explanation - these idiots were just slacking off. Warden looked around, searching for a Void Watcher he could send to gather up a squad and head down to the fields, to oversee the work, but nopony was around. He cursed quietly, and went down to Watcher's quarters.

This scum tries to sabotage their work? Well, no chance in hell. If they don't want to work, they will make them.

* * *

The sun seemed like an unclosing eye, that was over watching earth ponies dragging the plows. Usually, such good weather would be met with happiness - now, sun is nothing more but another eye of a silent warden, that watches them suffer.

Green Field's mane was all wet from the sweat. Every step was like a mountain she had to conquer, as her hooves were getting stuck in the ground. She started to feel a little bit of cold on her neck - looks like the leather straps were a bit too tight, and they flayed parts of the skin. She felt as cold drops of blood were slowly running down her chest and into the ground.

Green Field's limbs felt lifeless and numb, she could barely move her legs, but she continued to pull the heavy plow - otherwise, she won't get the ration for her children and herself, or, worst of all, the soldier might see her slacking off, and then she, and several other mares will be killed. She had to do this - she had to pull.

She was 17 years old, her mane was bright green and her skin was olive, though it was hard to notice, as both of her skin and mane were covered in dust and mud. She was very skinny - you can almost see her ribs on the chest. It felt like even a little speck of dust can break this girl, and yet she is dragging this giant plow along with her.

She stopped for a second and swiped the sweat away from her forehead. She missed those eight months she spent in the breeding district - where she was always fed, kept warm and comfortable. Doctors were really different from Void Watchers - instead of being cruel, they were indifferent. With emotionless eyes they visited her and asked how she feels every morning. Some nurses even smiled at her sometimes, but that happened very rarely.

The pregnancy went well, and she gave birth to three beautiful kids - two stallions and one mare. After these news were delivered to her, she cried for the whole day. Oh, how she prayed that there would be only mares. She didn't want a boy - she didn't want to lose this child in the future.

Oh, these painful memories. When Green Field was taken to this 'house of lust', as they used to call it, she was very scared. There were all this girls around her, keeping to themselves, hiding or crying. They were all afraid of what was about to happen - they knew nothing of things such as love or sex, those words were alienating for them.

They all thought they are going to be eaten alive by wild stallions, but when boys were let in, they didn't jump them immediately. They all tried to get acquainted, tried to find out more about each other. They knew what they had to do - they just didn't know how to do it.

In the end, all girls had to pick their partners. Crystal ponies knew how to count - one girl for one boy, and nothing more. However, they warned everypony about doing it with someone related with you - they called it 'incest' or something like that. They said that if such thing happen, those guilty of it will be tortured and killed - including the girl.

Green Field's partner was very young, she was older than him by on year. He had wheat mane and red skin. He was very scared when they first met, but, word by word, they became friends. Though they both knew it will not last for long - she had to bear his child, and he has to die.

Green Field doesn't like to remember of the time she spent in his embrace, as it hurts her soul, tears her inner being apart. Because of their inexperience, it lasted till the morning, but those were some of the best hours of her life. She remembers his pure, innocent eyes, as he looked at her, smiling. Then, they took him away to be butchered.

She undertook the test of loyalty and received a small hut, in the middle of the slums. It was quite comfortable, if a bit small, but she was sure she can raise her children in such conditions - there wasn't any other choice.

Every night, when she is putting her children to sleep, she looks at them with the eyes full of sorrow, especially at two her two sons - she knows what is going to happen to them. She knows what Void Watcher will force them to do. Every night she spends with her children feels like a last moment with them. She is so afraid to lose them, to cause them any kind of pain... When they are finally asleep, she goes to her bed and cries silently into the pillow. What can she do to save her children? Nothing. Their fate has already been chosen.

Green Field noticed an old mare nearby her. Just like her, she was dragging a big plow behind her, she was just in a different lane. She was pale and horribly skinny, her mane was pure white and her skin used to be brown someday, but now it's almost as white as snow. Green Field couldn't look at this pony without tears - she looked so pathetic and sorrowful. Her eyes were dim and gloomy, and she didn't talk.

Suddenly, the plow hit a rock and fell to the side, dragging the old pony along with it. Exhausted and weak, she fell down into the mud, splattering it all over. She coughed several times and tried to get up, but her body betrayed her, and refused to obey. Green Field couldn't just stand aside - she had to help. Through pain, she managed to turn and approach the old mare, while plowing the field in the wrong way, ruining her lane.

Green Field got down on her knees, and allowed the mare to use her body as support, and finally get up. When she got up, she looked at Green Field and smiled weakly. Her eyes were full of tears, and even some were streaming down her face.

"Why?... Why help me?" - she said in a trembling voice, and Green Field looked away.

"I can't leave a stranger in trouble behind" - she replied, and the old mare smiled one more time.

"Thank you... I will never forget your kindness towards my wretched life. Thank you..." - she said, when suddenly Green Field felt the cold metal hitting her in the back of the head. She fell down, getting her face right in the dirt. It tasted like sweat, salt and ash. The Void Watcher slowly walked to the right of her, so he could look her in the eyes.

"You mindless whore! Look what you have done!" - he growled and pointed at the trail Green Field left while making her way to the old mare. "Do you know how long it will take to fix this mess?!"

"I'll... I'll fix everything. Just let me work on the night shift, I'll fix it. I promise" - Green Field said, slowly getting up, reeling and dripping blood from her mouth. Looks like the guard hit her with the gauntlet, since she was dizzy, and everything was blurry.

"Night shift?" - the guard snarled. "Want to escape, eh?! No way, filth!"

With those words he pinned her to the plow and hit her in the stomach several times. These punches echoed through her body several times, making her previous dinner slowly crawl back up her throat, but she held it as hard as she could. Saying nothing, the masked guard threw her on the ground and plunged her face into the ground. The pieces of dirt, mud and earth were getting in her mouth and nostrils.

"Stop! She's not to blame! Punish me instead" - the old mare shouted as loud as she could. The guard slowly turned his attention to her, then hit her with the back of his hoof right in the face. It wasn't a strong hit, but it was enough to send the poor old wretch falling down on the ground.

"Oh, I will, after I am done with this one!" - he growled at the old pony. His eyes were full of hatred and she could only look at them. They were full of hatred... but at the same time young and full of energy. The old mare looked at the Void Watcher, as tears were streaming down her face. Her weakness and old age has doomed both her and Green Field, this young innocent girl. There was nothing she could do.

"When... all the hope is gone... there is only one thing left to do..." - she whispered to herself, remembering.

She looked up in the sky, at the burning sun and closed her eyes. She breathed in... and started singing. Quietly, carefully, with her voice flowing through the air like water flows in the stream.

She was singing a prayer. The only prayer that all three tribes shared. The only prayer that tied all the ponies together. The only prayer that Empire allowed them to keep, the only piece of their culture.

"Oh, great moon... Oh, great sun... We are your loyal servants and subjects... Your people need you, in these time of great sorrow and pain. The age of darkness has befallen us..." - the old mare slowly sung this simple melody.

Green Field was born in the wrong age - her mother never sung this prayer to her, she didn't know its origin, nor why it is so dear to their heart. But she quickly caught up with the old mare, as she tried to sing those words at the same time as her, catching every single tune she heard and memorizing it. Though she didn't know the words, she sung.

The prayer was flowing through the air, reaching other earth ponies, working on the fields. They quickly stopped and started listening to this simple tune, which may be unknown to their ears, but dear and precious to their hearts. The old ponies quickly started to sing, and they were joined by younger ones, who, just like Green Field, consumed every tune they heard, imprinting it in their memory forever.

This chorus of tormented voice grew louder and louder, reaching more and more ears. Ponies in the huts heard it - and they started to sing as well, crying with every sung word. These sounds reached pegasi in the Watcher's quarters, sitting behind a cage, waiting for another mission from their lords. This tune touched their very souls, awakening the pride and honor of a true pegasus inside each of them. Inspired, they joined this chorus with their strong and loud voices.

This song got loud enough to reach young mares in the breeding districts. And though doctors recommended them to stay calm and silent, they started to sing as well. Something in this prayer awakened their inner being, that Empire tried to suppress so vigorously.

This prayer was just as old as the three tribes. It was created back when cruel chieftains ruled the lands, comparing themselves to gods. There were much more tribes back then, for it was war against all - brother went against brother, father against son. In that dark time, the belief in gods of Sun and Moon was born. These two residents of the sky were above all - so they had to be stronger than all of living beings. This prayer was a cry for help to the skies - ponies wanted to find their own piece of land, and their own place in the world, where there is no eternal war and no cruel tyrants. This prayer led ponies to rebel against hundreds of chieftains and dethrone them. Thus, the three tribes were finally created, and they found themselves a quiet place to live - Great Fields.

Now, this prayer was sounding once more, calling upon the protectors of innocent and wise gods of the world, kind and benevolent. The chorus shook the very ground and air, reaching the skies and very hearts of all ponies who heard it. It inspired any pegasi, earth pony or unicorn who heard it, brought faith and hope into their hearts, and terrified the crystal ponies, because the power these downed, subjugated, tormented and tortured ponies had was... immense, unimaginable and... beautiful.

"What in the name of Sombra is that?!" - Warden roared at one of his companions, and Void Watcher just shrugged - if only he knew. The power and loudness of this prayer scared them - how could they sing at the time like this, especially this loud? And how do they all know the lyrics?!

"Shut up! SHUT UP NOW!" - Warden growled at the closest slave, but he just closed his eyes and continued to sing even louder. This terrified Warden - he didn't know why, but he started to panic.

"Shut him up!" - he shouted at the soldier, and Void Watcher looked at his commander, as if asking 'how'. Warden started grinding his teeth.

"SHOOT HIM, YOU MORON!" - he shouted. The guard hesitated for a second then lifted his gun and shot the poor pony, right in the head. When the bolt of energy connected, his head exploded in a fountain of blood.

"Shoot them!" - Warden screamed in anger and panic.

The sounds of gunshots and filled the air, as guards started killing all those who were singing, without any hesitation. But the song, the prayer kept getting louder and louder, as survivors just sung, as powerful as they could.

This prayer reached the very skies, and its echo could be heard from afar. The villages, not far from Crystal Night, heard it, as crystal ponies were walking out of their houses to check out what's going on.

This prayer was dear to hearts of these ponies, for it was bearing a message for all those who wish to turn them into nothing more than property, slaves, livestock - we are not your property. We are free. You have no power over us.

* * *

The pickaxe struck the sturdy surface of the rock, emitting a loud cracking noise. Ruby swiped the sweat away and stopped for a second to catch his breath. The fusty hot air of the crystal mine was making it difficult to breathe, and the sounds of pickaxes hitting the rocks were almost deafening.

"I doubt there are any crystals here. So far we dug up nothing but rocks" - Quartz, Ruby's friend said, who was standing right nearby.

Crystal ponies used pickaxes in an interesting way - they tied them with leather straps to their hooves, while miners from other countries, as far as they knew, held the pickaxes in their mouths. Such a simple idea - but such fantastic results. Using pickaxes in such a way, they were able to work twice as hard without getting their neck tired.

"Yeah, agreed" - Ruby replied, and sighed. Their wage is depended on the amount of crystals and precious minerals they find during the month. The more they found, the more they will be paid - and in the past years they weren't finding enough.

Even though such systems would seem unfair, as the control didn't count exactly how much useful minerals each worker dug up - they just weigh the minerals and divided the wages between all the ponies in the mine, depending on how much these crystals and gems are worth. One may argue that it is unfair - because some ponies will work hard, others will just scratch the rock and be done for the rest of the day. Void Watch quickly found a solution - there was always a guard patrolling the mine. If he sees you slacking off, you could kiss your monthly wage goodbye, as well as several of your teeth.

"One lazy worker is one dead soldier on the front" - the posters read, hanging above the entrance to the mine, with a worker in a protection helmet, obviously a miner, using the body of a dead soldier as a pillow.

However, sometimes it wasn't because of the laziness miners weren't working. It was exhaustion. Their working day lasted twelve hours, with thirty minute break for lunch in the noon. Some ponies couldn't take it, and collapsed from exhaustion and lack of sleep right on their working place. But Void Watchers didn't make difference between slackers and those who are tired. They still got penalized and punished.

It wasn't because there was no food the workers' families were starving - it was just because they couldn't buy it.

Ruby felt this cursed sucking feeling in your stomach - he didn't have a piece in his mouth for at least three days. All the money he gave away to his wife and children, who were still very skinny, as food was quite expensive. His thoughts returned to his children for a second there - two stallions and a mare. He remembered their faces when he returned without monthly wage. They almost cried when he delivered these crushing news. They had to sell another piece of furniture to supply themselves with enough food.

Ruby was really thankful to his wife - she never fought him because of these situations, which were rare, but they still happened. She completely understood him, what kind of environment he has to work in - and though she herself worked hard through every day, she never scolded him. Together, they were as happy as a pony could be in such years.

"Hey, idiot! What are you gawking at there?" - a rude voice interrupted Ruby's flow of thoughts.

"Umm... nothing. I was just... eh... catching a breath, yeah" - Ruby said, turning round and facing the Void Watcher. Even though he was wearing a mask, you could read the anger in his eyes.

"Don't feed me your bullshit, slacker! Everypony in this mine is working their croup off, and you think you can just 'catch a breath'?! Oh, don't think so, asshole!" - the Void Watcher replied. Ruby knew what he was going to do - tell the control, and goodbye the monthly wage.

"No, please! I'm not lying - it was just a split second rest. I'm going back to work!" - Ruby begged. They already sold most of the furniture - he can't return home without money again!

"Shut up! You should have just worked instead of 'split second resting', idiot!" - the guard said. "We'll see what the chief has to say".

The guard turned round and was about to head to the exit, presumably heading to the chief master of this mine. Suddenly, one of the miners nearby charged at him, and, before the guard could react, he plunged the pickaxe right into his chest.

The guard fell on his knees, coughing blood. The miner looked at him, and his face was distorted by grimace of anger.

"Enough of this!" - he screamed loudly and tore the pickaxe out of the guard's chest and plunged it into his head, the part that wasn't protected by the metal mask. Poor guard couldn't even scream, as the metal end of pickaxe broke through his skull.

Ruby knew this miner - his wife recently died. Some say it was some kind of disease, but he told that she died of starvation. He cried, when he described how she died in her bed, while he was around, trying to help her. He searched through the house for anything edible, he asked for help outside, he even wanted to cut his own flesh for her to eat, but she persuaded him to stop and just let her die.

Guard's blood slowly formed a puddle under him, and his rifle dissolved into dust. The miner looked at the body with sadness, turned away and started slowly going towards the exit.

Ruby was still shocked from what he has witnessed. Never before has anypony attacked Void Watcher - this was unheard of!

"Wait, where are you going? " - he shouted to this pony and followed him.

"I will not take this anymore. I know you've got a family, Ruby - many of us do. Many ponies have families! I will not let these bastards take anymore lives!" - he replied, and Ruby stopped for a second. Is he just going to go there and fight the system alone? Try to stop Void Watch from destroying lives and families?

"I'm going with you" - Ruby suddenly said, and caught up with him.

"What? Really?... You know you have a family. I killed that asshole - they are not going to blame you, just go back" - he replied, but Ruby shook his head.

"I have a family - wife, and three kids. I love them so much... But one day, they will be the victims. And I will not allow that! For my family, I am ready to die" - Ruby said in a firm voice.

Suddenly, other miners started approaching them, wishing to join them. They had families too, and they all wanted what was best for their wives and kids.

"Enough of this tyranny! If we can't be free, we'll sure as hell make sure our kids are!" - they shouted. More and more ponies were joining them, expressing the desire to fight back.

"Then we will fight! Let's go! Let's show these assholes that they aren't our owners!" - the pony who started this all raised his hoof and lead this little army. They were ready to die out there to finally send the message to Void Watch, generals, and especially Sombra - we are not your property. We are free. You have no power over us.

By the evening, the little town surrounding the mine was free of Void Watch - ponies joined with these rebels, they understood their cause, for it was so common - any father, any mother wanted the best for their kids. These ponies finally had enough of their Emperor's cruelty. They arose to fight for their children, their future and their very souls.

The fight for freedom has begun - the first rebellion that happened in Crystal Empire for a long time. But what was driving these ponies - they were going out against armed divisions and vicious soldiers, but they faced them with no fear. Because inside, they were all praying. All of these prayers were different, but they all bore the same meaning - help us, protect us, make us free. They all may had different gods, but they all were asking for the same thing.


	12. The end is near

The horrible headache and loud ringing in the ears woke Sombra up. The cold sweat was streaming down his face and the disturbing images of yet another nightmare were still fresh in his mind. Yet again he was running away from creeping darkness towards the light where an unknown pony was waiting. Are these dreams a product of his crippled sanity? A 'gift' from dark energy? Or specks of future, a weird representation of it? It was all so unclear and blurry.

Sombra got up from his bed and went to the closet. His head was still aching, and, in addition to ringing in the ears, he felt the ground shaking on occasions. He felt like he was intoxicated, but since he never was actually drunk, he didn't how exactly it should feel - he just made assumptions. He opened the closet and put on his mantle and the crown.

Everything was made even worse, as he started hearing loud booms outside. Even through thick walls of the palace he could hear something exploding and even screams. He swiped the sweat off his forehead - great, now he's hallucinating. He started to wonder what is happening to him - constant headaches, migraines, nightmares and even hallucinations. For the past years he hasn't had a single normal dream - nightmares were tormenting him, and he thought he sometimes heard voices whispering to him, while he was all alone in a silent room.

The stale air of his bedroom was choking him, and he decided to go up into the Diamond Hall and spend his time around Crystal Heart. Being near it always made him feel better - like some sort of warm, comforting presence was around it, helping him get his thoughts in order.

The royal room has changed significantly since Sombra took over. He ordered to dump all the pictures of Lux and his family, but destroying them seemed a bit of an overkill, so they were hidden in basements of royal storages. Instead, Sombra replaced all the paintings in his room with those of his own. He still tried to draw in his free time, just like back when he was a child - black and white drawings.

They were all portraits of ponies he knew and loved. He had several paintings of Krystal and his mother, but, unfortunately, the memory of her started to fade with time, but he tried as hard as he could to portray Willemite in the best way possible.

He felt guilty about her image fading from his memory - she is his mother, and it felt like he was backstabbing her this way. He never tried to compare who he loves more - Willemite or Krystal, and he swore, that if anypony on any occasion asks him that question, he'll devour that pony. First he'll eat his body, then the soul. These women were both dear to his heart, and comparing them is unacceptable.

Besides paintings, he had beautifully made statues of them in the room. He specifically hired best sculptors in Crystal Empire to make these for him. One of them was the pinnacle of his collection - it portrayed Willemite and Krystal, standing side by side and looking at you. They were both in their natural size, and Sombra had to pay for a giant amount of crystals for this sculpture to be made, but it was worth it. Sometimes he just sat down before it and looked into their eyes, which looked almost alive. However, it always put him in a state of deep melancholy.

"Why am I cursed in such a way - to have my mother never meet my beloved? I know that if you could ever meet, you would become best friends. I absolutely know that" - Sombra used to repeat when looking in his mother's motionless eyes.

The sounds from outside began annoying - they were loud and obnoxious. They disturbed Sombra's flow of thoughts and only made his headache worse. He sighed angrily and continued his way towards Diamond Hall.

Just as he stepped outside his bedroom and started making his way, he was approached by a Void Watcher. He looked all beat up - his body was covered in bruises and cuts, and the wound on his left side was bleeding.

"You majesty! You have to get out of here! The people have gone mental! This is madness!" - he shouted, kneeling down quickly before Sombra.

"What do you mean? What's going out there?" - Sombra replied, realizing that shaking ground and sounds from the outside weren't his hallucinations.

"Uprising, my Emperor! The ponies have risen against your righteous rule" - the Watcher replied. "We are trying to pacify them, but they are relentless. They attack us with no mercy".

"What? Uprising?!" - Sombra exclaimed. He couldn't believe it - crystal ponies haven't rebelled for almost thousand years.

"What's the situation out there? How are our forces holding up?" - Sombra asked.

"We are giving away positions, my Lord. They are not willing to stop - we tried to negotiate, but they keep pushing forward. They are on their way to the palace - they are coming for you, my liege. You have to escape!" - the Void Watcher said, looking at Sombra with silent plea in his eyes.

If these stupid barbarians get there, they will destroy everything! Every memory Sombra has about his beloved ones. They will ruin everything. He will not let that happen!

"Return back to your position and prepare for a hell storm!" - Sombra growled and headed for the exit - he will lead the charge himself.

While on his way, his horn started glowing, as he opened the rift to fuel the Crystal Heart. These traitors will pay with their very souls for threatening his work with their very souls!

Finally, he was outside. It was complete chaos - the black smoke was covering the sky, the sound of explosions and red light of fire was distracting. The slums were burning. Fortunately, the fire hasn't reached other quarters yet. Sombra heard screams of rage, calling for blood - the insurgents were merciless, breaking through military barricades like waves. Void Watchers were shooting back, but very carefully, since there was no order to attack - killing a civilian without order is punished by death.

Sombra quickly fueled himself with energy, as it lifted him up in the air, allowing him to see the battlefield more thoroughly. He noticed several buildings, occupied by Void Watch - presumably, it was their base of operation. The commanding officers have to be there. Without further delay, Sombra landed on the ground and started making his way there, with quick dashes and teleports, avoiding the streets where the battle was going on.

The guards, standing at the entrance to this building were quite amazed, when the Emperor himself appeared from the puff of black smoke in front of them. Sombra didn't have time for greetings and introductions, as he simple walked past them and into this improvised command post.

The officers of Void Watch were standing around the room, furiously discussing the situation. The dim light of the oil lamp, hanging below the ceiling was lighting the room slightly. They all quickly shut up when Sombra burst into the room.

"Your... majesty?! What are you doing here? I thought we sent a guard to safely escort you out of the Crystal City!" - one of them said, and Sombra grinned.

"I am not going anywhere. In fact, quite the opposite - I am taking the charge. And for my first order, I permit the free use of weapons" - Sombra said, and their faces looked brightened for a moment. "All of you - venture to the quarters that are under your command, and order them to push the insurgents back with force - they are all enemies now".

They all nod to him, and quickly ran out of the room, but Sombra stopped one of the commanders, who was in charge of the air forces.

"Prepare the air-balloons for bombardment"

"Wh...um... yes, Lord" - the commander replied, too scared to speak against Sombra's order.

Soon, the sky will be filled with these monstrous machines of war, blue as the sky itself, bearing the very fires of hell on them. These insurgents will know Sombra's wrath, as they drown in the ocean of fire.

Sombra teleported out of the building, and quickly made his way back to the Crystal Palace - he will witness this from the Diamond Hall, near the Crystal Heart. He wants to personally feel their suffering.

* * *

Void Watcher was carefully fixing the position of the devastator at the side of their air-balloon. The wind was quite strong, but additional weight and strength of motors was keeping it on course. His two comrades were not far away, putting the devastators at the best angle to fire.

This happened really fast - he was just sitting at his post, guarding the passage to air-balloons, when commander approached them and ordered to prepare for take-off. He also said it's by the order of the Emperor.

Still, he couldn't wrap his head around the necessity to bomb Crystal City, but this idea actually excited him in some sort of way. He remembered walking its streets as a kid, seeing all the happy ponies and rich fat idiots, while he barely had anything to eat. At those times, he really wanted to set this world on fire - now, he got his wish.

"CC99, charge the devastator at the left side!" - the captain shouted at him. CC99 was his number - all Void Watchers had their number tattooed on the neck. All Watchers upon initiation received their own unique number, and listed in special documents, which contained your bio, your blood type, and about all the information you need to know about a pony. Even their psychological portraits.

So, if you die, or MIA, you will be marked as dead or missing, thus there could be no situation when some soldier could take your pension, by claiming to be you.

"Yes, sir!" - CC99 replied, and approached the left side of air-balloon. The devastators were hanging tightly to its side, with no chance for them to fall. CC99's horn started glowing, as he passed the energy to the devastator. The crystal weapon slowly started glowing, glimmering, as it consumed more and more energy.

CC99 couldn't help but admire the beauty of the fire down in the city - it looked... powerful, filled with epic rage. CC99's body covered in goosebumps from this sight. He couldn't compare this storming rage of firestorm to anything! Never before has he felt such epicness going on around him.

Finally, the devastator was charged to the brim with energy, and they just needed to get into position to fire. They decided to head for the biggest crowd of insurgents they could find - and they were quite near, just a few minutes of flight away from them.

* * *

Ruby felt great, as he smashed the skull of another Void Watcher. He looked around - yet another block station of Void Watch is destroyed. Ponies rejoiced as these tyrannical guards were falling one by one.

Too bad they couldn't get their rifles - it would have made this rebellion so much easier. There weren't many Void Watchers in Crystal City - they were mostly mobilized for Sombra's crusade. Now, this tyrant is about to regret that decision.

"Brothers! Sisters! Rise against the oppressors! Rise and fight the tyrants! Today, we will liberate ourselves!" - the pony who started it all shouted, lifting his hoof up in the air, as they hailed him.

More and more ponies joined the insurgents, wishing to put an end to Sombra's cruelty. They have suffered enough under his reign - now, he will pay for his crimes.

This unstoppable avalanche of angry ponies slowly continued its way to the Crystal Palace, when suddenly they heard the sound of a howler, ripping through the air.

Ruby stood still for a second. The Void Watcher struggled to fire a single shot - now, they are using howlers? Suddenly, the deafening sound of blazing guns pierced his ears, and the pony right beside him had her belly explode, as the blast of energy hit her. Ruby fell on the ground, covering his head, as he heard the whistle of energy blasts, flying through the air. With the corner of his eye, he noticed that ponies around were falling, with blood slowly filling the ground. Void Watch has decided to retaliate.

Ruby sprung up and ran to cover - a nearby building, where several of the insurgents already holed up in. The blasts were flying so close to him he could almost feel their heat. Thankfully, none hit him, and Quartz dragged him inside the building and closed the door.

"What the hell is going on?" - Ruby shouted, and his friend shook his head - if only he knew. He looked around - the tide has turned significantly.

Injured insurgents were lying on the floor, bleeding, while others tried to help them as much as they could. The screams of anger and calls for battle have been replaced by moans of agony and pain.

"Looks like the Emperor has untied their hooves. They are coming with everything they have at us" - one of the ponies replied. Ruby started to doubt their chances - they knew Sombra was an asshole, but to charge at his own people with everything they have like they are the invaders...

Well, maybe there is some logic to his actions - he is holding to his throne as hard as he can, even if he has to destroy his own people.

Suddenly, the ground started to tremble and shake, as the shockwave destroyed all the windows this building had. Ruby managed to hold his balance and approached the window. The choking smell of burning reached his nose, but that was different from the burning wood - it was the smell of burning flesh. He looked out of the window, but the powerful shockwave threw him away, as the blast of energy landed right near the building they were in. It was strong enough to break through walls and tear them into dust. The magical fire reached the injured and healthy insurgents, immolating them in seconds. The screams of pain and agony have reached their peaks, and the heat turned flesh into ash.

Ruby opened his eyes, and managed to push the heavy piece of wall of him. He was covered in dust and small rocks. Cuts and bruises were pulsating with pain and bleeding slowly.

Half of the building was gone, and Ruby was lying in the remaining part of it that hasn't collapsed. The place where Quartz, that miner, and other insurgents gathered, was gone. Wiped out off the face of the earth. They were all dead.

Ruby raised his eyes to the sky, and saw dozens of air-balloons floating above them, releasing these deadly blasts of energy, turning the ground below into hellish blazing pit.

The rebellious forces were running away in vain, as street by street Void Watch was cleansing them with fire. They didn't spare the city - it didn't matter to them how much destruction will be caused.

Another blast hit the ground and shook the earth, and the half-destroyed building started to give away. Ruby felt as the floor beneath him started trembling - this thing will collapse in a matter of seconds. He tried to stand up, but the screeching pain in his left rear leg didn't allow that. Ruby looked at it, and saw that it was crushed by a piece of furniture. The bone was sticking out of the wound, with pieces of muscles hanging on it. There was no escape for him - not with this kind of broken bone.

The air has changed - instead of hot, filled with rage and action, it became heavy and choking. Suddenly, white particles started falling from the sky. They quickly covered the ground.

Was it snow? Why is it snowing? But Ruby quickly resolved this mystery, as he, struggling with the pain, reached for a little pile that formed not far from him. It wasn't snow, it was ash.

The ground shook one more time, and Ruby heard the construction cracking below him. His thoughts returned to his family - his beloved wife and three little kids. What will happen to them after he is gone? How will they live on?

Ruby felt so stupid - why did he joined this fight, when they all knew the outcome will be like this? It was inevitable! They were all going to die anyway. They could have survived another month without money - but without him... his wife doesn't earn that much to feed three growing kids. Oh, why he was so stupid? Why was he so selfish? Why didn't he think before acting?

That pony miner, who started it all... Ruby didn't even know his name. He didn't know anything about him, except that he lost his wife. He had nothing to lose - already lost everything. Even that miner was far smarter than Ruby - he warned him, he told him to go home. Ruby didn't listen.

"I'm... sorry... So sorry..." - Ruby whispered, as tears started streaming down his face. What did they hope for? A miracle? That a shining force of justice will come down from the sky and shield them? What did they hope for? What did they prove.

"I'm sorry... Sorry... I'M SORRY!" - he shouted as loud as he could, as he was reduced to tears. He didn't say anything else - he just sob quietly, as the city around him was slowly turning into ash and cinders. As hundreds of lives around him were turning into ash and cinders. What was he thinking? He left his family, his children, left them to die to fight for other children, for future that they won't see anyway.

The ash covered his body, as Ruby closed his eyes, whispering one last goodbye to his family and those he loved. They didn't always get along, but he knew they loved him, and he loved them in return. Goodbye.

The construction finally collapsed, as Ruby fell down along with several rocks. The air was so heavy it felt like it was falling along with Ruby. The ash, like snowdrops, was whirling in the wind, as Ruby fell down. The time slowed down for him, as he looked around, looking at the ruins. These ruins shall be his grave from now on - and a grave for hundreds, maybe a thousand ponies, who rose up, yearning freedom, and finding only doom and death. He has doomed them - Ruby has doomed them all. It was his fault. He doomed his family, and family of many other ponies.

He finally reached the ground as he hit the sturdy rocks. They pierced his flesh, impaling him in some places. But Ruby didn't feel pain - split seconds after, the rest of the building fell on him, burying under its heavy weight.

The ruins of this building have marked the grave for dozen of ponies. The ground was still shaking and trembling, as small rocks were still jumping in place from the hellish force that imperial devastators were unleashing upon those unaware. The whole Crystal City, famous for its glory and beauty, was turned into a grey mockery of itself - ruins of once great buildings, dead bodies lying everywhere and ash slowly covering them. This brutal bombing and massacre, that continued on the streets, as insurgents were running away from Void Watch, with guns blazing behind them. More and more ponies fell down, trying to hold their wounds. Fathers, mothers - they all found their end at the streets of this once magnificent city, as it was slowly turning into giant cemetery.

But the cemetery is a place where dead find rest. The suffering of these souls has only begun, as they were dragged into the rift, to fuel Crystal Heart with their memories, their feelings. Their souls have joined the legions of other souls - pegasi, earth ponies, unicorns, other crystal ponies, gryphons.

The Crystal Heart was sparkling with dark energy. But Sombra knew - this still wasn't enough. His sorrowful crusade continues. He approached the Crystal Heart and stroked its surface, slowly and carefully. In its reflection, he saw his beloved pony, walking in the green field.

"Soon, Krystal. Soon, we shall be together. Just hold on, my darling. I am coming to save you" - Sombra whispered to this reflection. The air, that felt heavy and choking for others, seemed warm and comforting, like Krystal's breath for him. For a second, he felt something wrapping around his neck, like she was near him, enclosing him in her sweet embrace. For a second, he knew for certain - she was near him. She was beside him. Sombra could feel her breath, the warmth of her body, even her heartbeat.

He remembers her heartbeat. It was very special, unlike any other. Its rhythm was so soothing and calm. Even when she was excited, her heartbeat was always so... welcoming. Soon, he will feel that heartbeat once again. He will hear her voice, soothing his ears and he will feel her breath, touching his skin. He can't wait to wrap her in his embrace and feel the warmth of her lips. Soon, all his dreams will come to life, and they will be happy again. This time, forever, and nothing will ever separate them.

* * *

The snow was brutally lashing Amethyst's face, as he struggled to make a step with this brutal wind blowing in his face. The once harmless snowflakes in these mountains looked more like solid pieces of ice, as they hurt your eyes whenever one manages to get there. Amethyst tried to shield his eyes with the scarf he bought from a tribe not long ago, but it barely helped. He was almost fully submerged in snow, having to lift his hooves almost as high as his head, or slowly slog through these white masses.

These mountains were famous for their impassability and how many adventurers were frozen to death, or fell to their doom in this place. But the magical trail was leading Amethyst in this direction - so he had no choice but to climb.

The scarf he was wearing was simple, but quite warm - tribes, that lived near these mountains knew how to make good and warm clothes. In fact, Amethyst was pretty lucky to stumble on their village, and that they were quite hospitable. Sombra's crusade changed the world's opinion about crystal ponies from neutral to worst. On his way, Amethyst got kicked out of so many villages. Some even tried to kill him. It didn't matter how long he tried to explain that he's not evil - they still wanted to put his head on a pike.

But Amethyst could see the reason behind their logic - so many villages have been burned down and their population enslaved or exterminated. Blaming them would be foolish and unwise.

Luckily, the last village Amethyst visited accepted him. They offered him food and shelter for a nice price, and even sold him this scarf. Some still looked with distrust at him, but none spoke against the chieftain, who was quite welcoming. Amethyst warned them about impending threat, and advised to escape these lands while they can. Chieftain listened to him and said that he will consider that idea. These ponies were quite protective of their lands - but too many villages have already been destroyed and plundered. Traditions no longer apply in this situation - only cold logic and instinct for survival.

But in these mountains, you could only rely on your agility, strength and instincts, something that Amethyst, who grew up in a big city, lacked. The biggest mountain he climbed was the hill that lead him to Golden Watch, when he was sent there by Magic Academy for inspections. It was that perfect day when he met Willemite.

She was walking out of the shop, when he first noticed her. That silver mane was exceptionally beautiful that day, as sun was raining its light upon her, and she was just shimmering with happiness. With a basket full of freshly baked bread she was walking through the streets of this small town. It was the smell of bread that first attracted Amethyst's attention - he hasn't eaten for days, with all the assignments. He approached her, asking her to sell him one loaf. What seemed to be a short conversation turned into a long dialogue, and it continued until they reached her house. Then, she just offered him to come in and have dinner with her family.

These memories hurt like a knife in the gut. Remembering those better times felt like slowly thrusting a needle into your eye. As its metallic surface slowly going inside the sensitive surface of your eyeball, slowly reaching its centre, you start to feel this pain reaching every fiber of your being, making you scream and beg it to stop. But finally, you notice that the person slowly pushing the needle deeper into your eye is yourself.

These memories will haunt you, follow you. They will keep flying above you like hungry hawks, continuing to peck your defenseless head until you finally break down and give up. Then, your only choice is to wait on the side of the road and wait till they devour you.

Amethyst's philosophical debates with himself were quite abruptly interrupted by a treacherous pass, as he slipped on the patch of ice and fell into snow. The cold quickly pierced his body, driving away any thoughts except those of survival. It's getting too cold, he needs to find a shelter before night or he'll freeze to death.

He got up and shook off the snow, that became cluttered in the space between his cloak and body. He should really have thought this through - going into these mountains without serious preparations and equipment was an idiotic idea. But when it's the fate of millions at stake, you don't really have time to prepare.

Amethyst made a few more steps and collapsed into snow again. The strength was slowly leaving his body, and he thought that the world started to turn darker. He was slowly losing conciseness.

If he passes out here, some adventurer will surely find his frozen corpse several years later. No, he has to stay awake, keep moving, keep the blood flowing. He got up from the snow yet again and started slowly slogging forward.

Though it still hurt his soul, he started remembering - memories kept his brain working, and thus helped him to stay awake. Amethyst delved into his past, as he continued to make his way forward, through the endless oceans of snow, slowly making his way into the milky unknown.

Willemite had a very big family - mother, father, a brother and two sisters. Even grandparents lived with them, as Golden Watch was a pretty small town, and didn't have that many houses.

They welcomed him as not a stranger, but a welcomed guest. Amethyst never thought ponies on the outskirts of Empire could be so friendly. He always thought of them as outcasts, who walk past the residents of big towns and grind their teeth in hatred. He never despised them or anything, he just didn't think they can be so hospitable.

After so there, word by word, he got to know his future wife. Her voice was very pleasant to hear, and she had a lot of interesting topics for discussions. They had a very pleasant time talking, sometimes they needed hours for that.

Thankfully, Magic Academy allowed him to stay in Golden Watch, and teach in one of the local schools. That included a free apartment for him. He spent over three years there, before he and Willemite made the ultimate decision and decided to marry.

It was a bright and sunny day when he finally proposed to her. He bought a golden bracelet with a small diamond on it. It hit his purse pretty hard, but he never regret buying it - it perfectly matched her shining eyes.

Amethyst couldn't help but smile to himself when he thought about her eyes. They were always bright - like two little stars in the sky. She was always so optimistic - she always thought about good stuff. But the life was hard, and soon she didn't seem that happy all the time - bit nevertheless, she never lost hope.

But maybe she did lose hope in him, Amethyst thought. He can't blame her at all - he was a walking disaster, even before her cruel demise. But, every time he wanted to buy another pint of ale, he always saw her eyes and how sorrowfully they are looking at him and stopped, to bring this money home.

Thinking about his family brought his thoughts to Sombra again. What is he after? Amethyst heard rumors about Sombra gathering souls and powering Crystal Heart with them, which was just monstrous. Amethyst didn't know how this vile magic works, but he knew what kind of horrendous things could be done to a soul. In Magic Academy, they told them about users of dark energies who devoured souls to become more powerful. Eventually, multiple personalities start to overtake their minds and they are eventually driven insane.

When Amethyst was near Sombra, he felt immense amount of dark power coming from him. For others, this amount would feel like liquid metal flowing in your veins. If he uses souls to power Crystal Heart - then what for? How does he benefit from that?

Amethyst just didn't know anymore. It all seems so cryptic and without sense. Why does this nightmare still goes on? Why won't it just end?!

But, it was Amethyst's responsibility to end this. His journey is at its end, he can feel that. Either he falls on another patch of ice and his warm blood will melt the snow it will fall upon, as it slowly turns to ice. His eyes will stay wide open forever, as he is forced to look into sky, with fear and regret forever encased in them. Or he will accomplish his goal, and finally find the pony able to match Sombra's power. And then it clenched Amethyst's soul - what if Sombra is too far, even further than him? What if there is no redemption for him anymore? Will he have to witness his own son getting killed, and live with the knowledge that he helped this to happen? He hoped that there is still time, and Sombra hasn't yet fallen too deep.

Amethyst noticed that his descend into memories didn't go without its results - he was still alive and kicking, ready to move on. But while he was wandering in the corners of his mind, he completely lost the path he was following. While there was no actual road to speak about, he lost the magical trail, that lead him there. Amethyst desperately started searching through the surrounding magic aura, trying to find this magic trail, but to no avail.

"No! NO!" - he shouted, though he knew nopony can hear him. He could hardly hear himself over the howling of the wind. In desperation, he ran forward, scanning every inch of the surroundings, trying to find this trail. Every little stone, every snowdrift - he looked everywhere, but the trail was gone.

At first, it seemed like everything is lost, and Amethyst was about to give in into despair, when he noticed something dark looming on the horizon. Even through the raging blizzard, he could see something in the distance, which really looked like a stone castle.

A castle in such a remote place? Who lives there? But Amethyst has to find a shelter anyway, and this castle is the only destination he currently has. Perhaps, his prayers will be answered, and there he will find what he was looking for so long. Or perhaps his mind is playing tricks on him and that is just a mirage, a false sense of hope, that is weaving its web. Just when he arrives there, he'll be stuck, and a vicious spider of reality will come to devour him, slowly and painfully.

But, the more he looked at the distant castle, the more he realized that it wasn't a hallucination. And the strangest of all, he started sensing very strange kind of energy from there. It was suppressed, but still, he could feel the specks of it. This energy was different from anything he has ever seen - it was so light and refreshing. Along with it another stream of energy was flowing - this one felt soothing and fuzzy, and was putting him into sleep a little bit.

The way they were suppressed was very strange - they were surrounded by many other streams, so these two were lost among dozens of usual energetic flows. But Amethyst could feel them - looks like he got too close to be fooled by this clever disguise. With the spark of hope reappearing in his heart, Amethyst ventured onwards to this darkened castle.

The wind continued to lash out on him, throwing more and more snow at him, trying to drag him into the endless pit which was just nearby. Down there, sharp rocks will ensure you won't survive the fall. As he walked forwards, the ground started slowly turning into ice, and when he could finally see the whole castle instead of shadowy shape, he had to tread carefully, as any step could be fatal. The temperature continued to go down as he progressed, making him tremble and shake from the cold that was piercing to the very bones, but he didn't pay attention to pain, cold and slippery surface of the ground, he walked onwards no matter what.

* * *

The knocks on the door disturbed Loir's concentration. She was just walking near the entrance, refreshing herself after an exhausting training - this hall was ventilated frequently, and the temperature here was colder than in any part of the Temple. The hall itself was nothing interesting - the walls were covered with beautiful ornaments, and big candelabra was hanging under the ceiling, but Loir passed here for hundreds of times. She probably memorized every piece of ornament on the wall, and could transcribe the writings in ancient language on the candelabra. Some may think that secrets of powerful magical spells were encrypted on these gigantic bronze structures, but it was nothing special - ancient masters had to leave their marks on their product, so the letters meant the city, where this candelabra was made and the name of the smith, who made it.

As the sound of knocks reached Loir's ears, her heart started to shake, and she was filled to the brim with fear. Bishop is still moping about her rather idiotic mistake several months ago, but Loir stopped paying attention to him a while ago. Now, she understood what worried him so. Is this just a wanderer, a wayfarer who lost his direction and got stranded in these brutal mountains? Or did those vicious crystal warriors found her, and came here to destroy the sacred temple and claim its secrets. All the answers were lying beyond that door, in the raging blizzard, where this lonely pony was awaiting her judgment... or perhaps a whole army of vicious killers just longed for her to open the door, so they could sink their greedy hooves into the Temple's libraries.

Loir slowly approached the door. Her heart was beating like crazy - she couldn't hear the wind howling outside, it was that loud. She breathed in, and opened the door, preparing to face her fate.

To her relief, there were no soldiers before her. Only a lonely crystal pony, wrapped in a linen scarf and cloak. He was almost purely white, as the snow clung to him from mane to hooves. He didn't look hostile or aggressive at all, and, in fact, looked very pathetic and pitiful.

Before he could say anything, Loir dragged him inside and closed the door behind him.

"Hello, wayfarer. You must be lost, I wager" - she said, as she swiped the snow away from him. The stranger could barely talk, as he was frozen to the bones.

"I...I...I..." - he tried to say something, but couldn't as the clattering of his teeth muffled his words.

"Sweet Sun and Moon, you need to warm up a bit. Come with me, I'll make you some tea - you'll rest up, and tell me your story" - Loir said, as the stranger nod silently. Temple Supreme was, of course, a remote place, and monks didn't want any visitors, but they never left strangers in need. So taking him in was perfectly all right and would not anger the elders.

She lead the stranger through the hall and into a small room, where monks usually had dinner. They were just finished just several hours ago, and the room was empty. There weren't many residents in this castle - twenty six monks, and about five initiates, including Loir.

Initiates were all the children of monks. Since the contacts with the outside world were very limited, marriage wasn't prohibited, but the children were destined to become monks, when they reach adulthood.

The stranger sat down at the table and shivered a bit - the cold was still getting to him. Loir quickly ran to the kitchen, poured some water into the kettle and put it above the fire. While the water was heating, she found two cups and the tea itself. It was chamomile tea, nothing spectacular, but very cheap and delicious. Monks regularly ventured into the woods near the mountain, avoiding nearby villages, and gathered chamomile for this tea. Loir was very excited every time a campaign like that happened - after the travel, monks usually had a lot of interesting stories to tell. But now that was before Loir learned the teleport spell, she doesn't need their stories - she can find her own adventures.

The water started boiling in the kettle, and the warmness started to slowly fill the kitchen. Loir quickly grabbed a kitchen spoon, scooped some water and then poured it into the cups. Few seconds after, she put the scalding into each cup, put the cups on a tray and carried it to the table where the stranger was sitting.

"Don't drink it all at once - you might burn your throat" - Loir advised.

Several minutes later, after the stranger finally drank all of his tea, he finally warmed up. His teeth stopped chattering and he even took off his scarf.

"Many thanks. Sorry for such an intrusion, and for the trouble I am causing you" - he said, slowly inhaling the warm fumes of the tea.

"No worry. Just a few cups of tea - nothing to worry about" - Loir said. There were so many questions in her head right now. She had to take this stranger to Patriarch, but she really wanted to ask him about how the things are going outside. Since the incident several months ago, she never left the Temple Supreme anymore.

"May I ask you who you are and what brought you to such a remote place?" - Loir asked, and the pony slowly put the cup on the table.

"My name is Amethyst, and I came seeking help" - he said, looking at Loir. "My country is in complete chaos - our ruler is cruel and merciless. He possesses great knowledge of dark magic. His armies are prowling the neighboring lands, enslaving and destroying everything. I am the only hope the Crystal Empire has".

Loir listened to this story, as her inner being slowly started to fear again. What if Amethyst wasn't just passing through here? What if he came to this temple specifically?

"So, you are venturing beyond these mountains?" - she asked, but Amethyst shook his head in denial.

"No. I've been following a magical trail, which I picked up far away from here. It has lead me here" - he replied, and Loir started coughing in worry.

"Um, sorry... I'll need to talk with my master really quick. Wait here, please" - she said, got up from the bench and ran to bishop's room. If anypony can help, it's him.

This meant trouble. If Amethyst managed to track her down, then others could too. She started to understand just in what kind of danger she was putting her friends and family in. She saw what those crystal ponies can do - they are relentless, cruel, evil. She made such a mess!

* * *

Amethyst sniffed the air once more, inhaling the smell of the tea. Ah, how beautiful and exquisite. For so many years he has been drinking only water - it felt so great to taste tea again, even though it wasn't high quality.

This castle was just plain creepy - giant corridors, strange carvings on the walls, the dim light, and the strangest thing - there weren't many ponies around. The castle is quite huge, but he only met the young girl so far. Is she the only habitant of this castle? If not, where are the others? This didn't seem right.

Those two energy streams were bothering Amethyst - they seemed to get stronger the deeper that girl let him into the castle. What are they hiding here? And where did that girl go? It didn't stack up in Amethyst's head - he started to worry.

But there was no way back anymore - he has to follow this two strange streams of energy. They seemed to contain immense power, but Amethyst couldn't tell for sure. In any case, there was no other choice but follow them... or he could run. Who knows what is hidden in this castle - maybe they are some kind of blood-drinking monsters, who will strip him off his flesh and eat his insides. Maybe that girl went to get some reinforcements to kill him. He didn't know - and this obscurity was scaring him.

Amethyst quietly got up from the bench and started following these streams - they couldn't hide themselves anymore, and he could feel the direction they are flowing to. He knew where to go, what corners to take, and where he should turn around. However, he didn't know anything about this castle, so it was like he was a blind pony, being led by a loyal guide-dog. Though in this situation, this guide-dog just didn't know where it was going either.

Amethyst was slowly walking through the endless corridors of the castle, hiding from every whisper and rustle. There is no room for mistake, he cannot die now! The streams are getting more and more strong the more he advances - he's so close. The scary carvings were staring right at Amethyst, freezing the blood in his veins. The empty banners hanging everywhere were also creepy - what are they for? What the hell is this place?

The air started to got colder... or maybe the blood in Amethyst's body slowly turned to ice. This place was so mysterious it scared. This feeling when you are walking into a dark cave, not knowing what awaits you there - a treasure full of gold or an angry bear, that will maul you, and then proceed to eat you.

Amethyst started to feel bad, as the corridors were getting smaller and smaller. He never was a fan of tight places, but now these spasms of fear were just coming into his soul like ants, crawling around a piece of sugary cake, slowly devouring it. Amethyst always tried to fight his claustrophobia, tried to suppress it, and for the most time he was successful. But now, he started losing control of it.

Breathing very loud and heavy, he continued his way forward, looking around as if being afraid of the very walls surrounding him.

He entered some kind of a hall. It was quite wide and big, so Amethyst was relieved of his claustrophobia. The statues of solid metal were standing near the walls, depicting some ancient pony heroes, or monks - they were all dressed differently. Some looked like priests, others were warriors. On the pedestals there were writings in the language Amethyst didn't understand.

Suddenly, he heard voices, coming in his direction, along with hoofsteps. Somepony was approaching him! Amethyst quickly looked around for a good place to hide. Finding no curtains, cabinets or anything of the sorts, he quickly ran behind one of the statues, in such a way that if he presses his back to it, he'll face the wall. He quickly lied down on the floor and held his breath, afraid to make even a single move.

Strangely enough, one of the magical streams was getting more and more powerful the closer these strangers were approaching. Finally, the conversation of two ponies reached his ears, as he pressed harder against the floor, afraid to even move an inch.

"The seals are wearing off again, o sisters of the sky. We have to renew them" - a voice of a very old pony said in a very concerned way.

"Yes, yes, we understand" - another voice replied, much younger.

"This is getting very tiresome, Patriarch" - other voice said, older than the previous one and sounding quite serious and tired. "We keep suppressing our power - and for what?"

"It's for your own good, solar one..." - the old pony started talking but was quickly interrupted.

"I know it's for our own good! But what about the good of others?!" - the serious voice replied with notes of anger. "We have been sitting here for so long, for many generations - what if our help is needed elsewhere?"

"Sister, you say this every time we go for the seal renewal. Please, when will you understand that it is not our choice? We must not interfere" - the young voice said.

"Uh... I know, Luna... I am just so weary of inaction... I am so tired of sitting in one place, doing nothing at all, while I could be making the world better..." - the serious voice said, losing the anger, and instead gaining a bit of sorrow.

Amethyst's head started to ache from the amount of energy he felt coming in his direction. This is it! These are the sources of those two streams. He finally found what he was looking for!

Still having doubts, Amethyst looked over the pedestal. Three ponies were walking down the hall - an old one in white robe and azurite hat, and two...

These two shocked Amethyst to the very core of his soul. His heart stopped beating and the blood stop flowing in his veins. The time seemed to stop to capture this incredible moment - Amethyst was the first crystal pony to see not one, but two living alicorns.

One of them had a mane with multiple colors - light cerulean, light turquoise, light cobalt blue and pale heliotrope, and it was constantly waving, like it was made out of pure energy. Her skin was pure white, and Amethyst had to shield his eyes for a second, as it seemed that she was shimmering with the very sunlight. She was just enormous, and though Amethyst never seen Lux in flesh, he bet that this solar alicorn was even taller than him. Her eyes, though clouded with sorrow, were very bright and brought hope into his soul.

The other one was much more darker, as her skin was displaying such colors as dark sapphire blue and light phthalo blue. Her mane was brilliant blue with a waving light violet aura surrounding it. She was smaller than her solar counterpart, but still bigger than an average pony. For a moment Amethyst felt something shadowy around her, but he soon realized that it was a different kind of energy - closer to dark, but much more peaceful and quiet. It brought harmony and sleepiness into his soul, while the solar one was shimmering with energy and movement.

Amethyst heard the legends, read the books, but he never imagined that he would even see two living alicorns. All the doubts were cleared from his mind - he has finally found what he was looking for.

He breathed in and stepped out of his cover, slowly going in the way of the priest and these two magnificent ponies.

"What?! Who are you? What are you doing here?! How did you get here?!" - the priest started shouting, as his face was distorted by a grimace of mixed anger and surprise. The alicorns were equally surprised, but not angered.

"Your magnificence, you should get out of here! This stranger could mean harm!" - the priest growled, looking at Amethyst. "I'll deal with him!"

"No, please! I mean no harm! In fact, I came here looking for help" - Amethyst said, slowly approaching them, which made the priest even more furious.

"You'll find no help here! Leave now and forget what you saw! Or I will tear your very being out of you..."

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" - the solar alicorn suddenly growled, and the priest backed off, seeming both scared and annoyed at the same time. "That is not how you treat your guests, Patriarch!"

This magnificent pony approached Amethyst, as he couldn't help but gawk at her.

"Please, forgive Patriarch for his rude behavior. Of course, we will help you. It all depends on what kind of help you need" - she said, as her sister approached, moving with exquisite beauty and grace.

"It has been so long since I have seen a pony different from the monks. Too long" - this dark pony said, looking at Amethyst with interest. "He is so different. His skin looks like it's made of crystals"

Suddenly, Amethyst noticed two more ponies approaching. It was that girl, and a stallion, dressed in a robe. When they finally got close enough to see them all, the girl stopped and looked at them with fear. The stallion was equally scared.

"Bishop? Loir?" - the Patriarch said, looking first at Amethyst, then at these two. Suddenly, he turned red from wrath.

"So, you two have something to do with this, huh?!" - he growled approaching Loir and bishop. "Now tell me everything!"

Loir quickly broke down into tears and started loudly telling about what happened to her and the trail she left behind. Bishop was silent, only nodding when Patriarch was asking if this was true.

"Sweet heavens, you... foolish girl! "- he growled, barely holding back much more indecent words.

"It was my fault, great Patriarch. Punish me instead of her!" - bishop said, stepping forward.

"Shut up, idiot!" - the Patriarch shouted, and was about to unleash another tirade of angry remarks, if it wasn't for the solar alicorn.

"Enough, Patriarch. What's done is done. This pony knows now, and there is nothing we can do" - she said, looking at Patriarch with disappointment. "This atmosphere is far too unfriendly for my liking. Let us proceed to a more... secluded location, we'll have ourselves some wine and you'll tell us something about outside world... and I don't want to hear any protests against that idea. I hope I am making that absolutely clear".

Patriarch obediently bowed to her and said that it shall be as she says. The lunar alicorn was still looking at Amethyst with interest, and bishop and Loir prepared for a long conversation, which will not end in their favor.

* * *

"My lord, your dinner is waiting..." - the servant said, falling to his knees before his Emperor, but Sombra didn't even turned around, continuing to look at the darkened surface of Crystal Heart.

"I'm not hungry" - he quickly replied.

"But my Emperor, you haven't eaten in days..." - the servant said, and Sombra gave him a piercing glance.

"I am not hungry. Leave me this instance!" - he shouted, and servant quickly left the Diamond Hall. Sombra sighed - why do they continue to bother him when he has so much work to do?

The hunger and need for sleep no longer bothered him, for he was too excited with the bright news he discovered quite recently - thanks to this foolish and fatal rebellion against his reign, he has just enough energy in the Crystal Heart to finally turn it into a lighthouse, at which Krystal's lost soul will come. His quest is almost at its end, and the birth of his paradise is near!

The city was in ruins, and his soldiers frequently patrolled its destroyed streets to find any supporter of the rebels and execute them. Even more squads were sent into other big towns and villages to gather this stupid cattle and lead them into concentration camps.

The idea of creating a concentration camp for crystal ponies came to his head after this rebellion. When his generals gathered, he spoke about this on the meeting . Many spoke against this idea - it seemed ridiculous for them to subjugate their own people. The loyal Orthoclase, just as always, supported Sombra's idea. However, when Sombra told them of the destruction that the rebels have forced him to unleash on the Crystal City, they all went silent for a moment, thinking. Then, one by one, they all raised their hooves in support. Even Metal Eye, who was quite protective of crystal ponies, even he supported Sombra. They all knew - people have to be kept on a short leash, so the country may still be strong and powerful. If our own people wish to rebel against us, we must force our control on them, even if they don't want to accept it.

Sombra called upon the most notorious Void Watchers to form the guard for this new concentration camp. Warden, the commander of Crystal Night, quickly applied for this assignment. Sombra heard of his deeds and his notorious zeal, so he was accepted. Sorrowful End, the first and the most brutal and cruel concentration camp for crystal ponies, has been created. The rules were the same as in Crystal Night - except instead of killing the male population, it was taken, trained and turned into more of Sombra's loyal Void Watch.

This idea has brought its fruits in one month. The production of crystals and gold has increased tremendously, women were more than eager to do anything, only to have their precious children back. Sombra has ordered to apply new rules - if the family has worked enough, and brought the country much profit, they were allowed out of the concentration camp. After that, the production increased even more.

It didn't mean that all crystal ponies in Crystal Empire were sent to the camps. Many those who publically denounced this rebellion and agreed to wear special badges were quite rewarded, with titles and money. In turn, they had to promote Sombra's propaganda campaign. The neutral population was unharmed as well - only those villages and towns that supported the rebels were subjugated.

These acts of intimidation had tremendous results - the crime rate decreased significantly, and more and more eager teenagers joined Void Watch, in search for glory, fame and battles.

It made Sombra happy, but not as happy as the news of the impending return of Krystal. Even now, he was standing near the Crystal Heart, looking at his own reflection, and imagining finally meeting her. His room was filled to the brim with her portraits and statues, and sometime he could stare at them for hours.

Sombra turned around and looked at the city. Slowly, but steadfully it was coming back to its original glory - the houses were rebuilt, the streets cleaned. Sombra has ordered many divisions of Void Watch to look through the ruins and clean them. They did a pretty good job - just in weeks, the city was ready for restructuring. Many ponies from the loyal villages and towns were moving to these renewed structures - and they offered another good economical solution. They could buy the crystal ponies from the concentration camps to serve them. The fee was high, and only rich families could allow it, but many wanted to have their own servant.

A bolt of dark energy sparkled near Sombra and disappeared within seconds. He smiled - his magical powers were growing just as fast as his royal control over the country. He looked at the Crystal Heart - this once bright crystal is now almost pitch black. The power it houses is immense.

Suddenly, an unexpected idea pierced Sombra's mind - what if he takes all this energy for himself? With this power, he will be unmatched. His power will increase almost infinitely, he'll be unto a god... No!... He'll be even more powerful than any god in existence ever!

He quickly drove this thought away - absolute power doesn't mean anything if you have nopony to share it with. Without Krystal, his life is meaningless, and there is no chance in hell he'll exchange her for some petty godhood!

"The wall between us is getting thinner every day, my love. I promise, you will feel the pleasure of being alive very soon, I promise that with my very life. Everything is pointless without you" - Sombra whispered, as he was stroking the surface of the Crystal Heart. What if she can hear him through this tiny gap between their world and the world of the dead? What if she can hear every word he says now? Probably not, but if she can, she will hear only the sweetest remarks from him. He will make her the happiest pony in the world, and make sure it stays that way for all eternity.

Sombra looked towards the horizon, as wind scutched his black mane, and the rays of the fading sun touched his face - soon, he won't be seeing these sunsets alone. Soon, he will never be alone. Soon, this life will be a paradise for him. The end is near - it's coming and already knocking on the door. The end to his suffering, and the end to his loneliness. The end of his life of pain and misery, and the start of his life of happiness and wonder. The end is near!

* * *

Patriarch's room was quite comfortable and big. It was well lit by candelabras on the walls and a fire-place. His bed was nothing spectacular - a simple stone carcass with linen mattress. Monks maintained this little state of equality - none were above others, their title only signified what part they take in the rituals, and also how wise and experienced they are. That's not to say that Patriarch didn't take a little bit of advantage of his post: after suppers, he went to the cooks and asked them to pour him some wine. Not wishing to refuse, they gave him a glass or two. Patriarch carefully merged the wine in bottles and kept them safe in the secret room, nearby his apartment. He never opened the wine unless the situation demanded so - the ceremony, a feast, or, the most rarest occasion, guests.

After finally calming down, Patriarch opened the bottle of some fine wine and poured it into glasses. When Loir slowly stretched her hoof to reach the glass, he quickly glanced at her, as if asking her to mind her manners. Amethyst politely refused the glass offered to him.

"No, thank you. I don't drink" - he said.

"As in at all? It's not just the good occasion, the wine can warm you up quite good" - the solar alicorn said, accepting the glass.

"Yes, at all. I had many issues with alcohol before, don't want to run the old wounds" - Amethyst replied and the solar alicorn nod in acceptance .

"That's understandable" - the lunar alicorn said, drinking a bit. "One should never go too hard on firewater - it never ends good".

"Oh, where are my manners. I am terribly sorry - we haven't even got acquainted yet. Please, do forgive me" - the solar one said, putting the glass on the nearby cupboard. "My name is Celestia".

"My name is Luna, and the heavens blessed me to be Celestia's sister" - Luna said, with a little bit of sarcasm in her voice. Celestia giggled.

"My name is Amethyst, I am honored to meet you" - Amethyst said, bowing before the two alicorns.

"Please, get up. We're not royalty, no need for this" - Celestia said with a little bit of sorrow in her voice.

"Sorry. It's just that we thought that alicorn were extinct, or even didn't exist at all. We, crystal ponies, have so many legends concerning you and your kind. I read that you don't age, and have almost unlimited power. That you are unto gods!" - Amethyst said, sounding excited, but Celestia only sighed.

"That's exaggeration. Alicorns may had great power, but believe me, we were just as sinful as normal ponies" - she said, and Luna looked at her.

"What do you mean?" - Amethyst asked.

"We are the only two remnants of our people. My sister doesn't like to talk about it, even with me, and I was but an infant when a great cataclysm has befallen our people, destroying everything we have ever held dear" - Luna said, continuing to look at Celestia, who just turned away.

"Well, anyway, we're not here to talk about our history. Please, Amethyst, tell us why have you come here and what kind of help do you seek?" - Celestia said, brightening up and turning to Amethyst.

"It's hard for me to tell this... but a great disaster has befallen my people as well. A cruel monarch has taken control of the Crystal Empire, using dark arts, and is now waging bloody warfare to enslave or exterminate the whole world" - Amethyst said, and continued to tell of all the horrors and crimes Sombra committed. With each spoken word, Celestia was turning more and more grim, and Luna was looking at her with anxiety.

"This... this is..." - Celestia said, barely holding her temper. "This is just inconceivable! What kind of a monster do you have to be to do that to others?! This tyrant has to be stopped - before he takes any more lives!"

"That's why I came here - I am looking for a pony powerful enough to stop Sombra. His power is unmatched among us, and there is nothing we can do to him - his armies are endless and his magic is foul and destructive"

"I will help you!" - Celestia sprung up and said. Patriarch almost fell down on the floor. Luna seemed confused too.

"Please, oh solar one, don't make such rash decisions. We don't even know anything about this stranger, he might as well be lying to us" - Patriarch said.

"Sister, you remember your own words, right? You have made a pact, a decision - so stick to it" - Luna said, trying to appeal to Celestia's pride. She was about to break the promise she gave to herself after all.

"I'm sorry. But I will not stand idle while the innocent blood is spilt. These dreams I have been having, these screams I heard - they finally make sense".

"Then I am going with you. You don't have to do this alone" - Luna suddenly changed her mind, and Celestia smiled in gratitude. Patriarch was barely holding back from exploding in anger.

"Please, Patriarch, forgive us - for many years you have took care of us, protected us from the outside world... or rather vice versa.. and so did many generations of monks before you. We thank you all for everything you have done for us, but the time has come for us to aid the outside world" - Celestia said, bowing before the Patriarch and he finally calmed down.

"I understand. Well, if the time has truly come, as you say, then it shall be so. Let me remove the seals" - he said, as his horn started glowing. Amethyst felt the two streams getting stronger and stronger the more this was going on. Suddenly, he felt a giant burst of energy, but it was unlike any other - while this amount of any other type would hurt horribly, this energy was relaxing and powerful at the same time.

The ritual was complete and the seals were broken. Celestia and Luna were finally unleashed of these bounds, that protected them for thousands of years. Amethyst was shocked by the amount of power that was coming from them - he could never imagine such amount. With shock and awe, hope was also brought into his soul - he found them, the ponies stronger than Sombra's foul sorcery.

"It feels great to be back!" - Luna said, straightening her wings and stretching them for a bit.

"All evil shall fall before us. Lead us to the heart of your Empire, Amethyst. The time has come to free the ponies, enslaved by that... monster" - Celestia said, which made Amethyst turn away for a second.

"His armies are endless... If we want to get to Crystal City, we need an army of our own" - he said, stuttering a bit.

"No need to. If we sever the head of this hydra, the body will disperse on itself. The tyrant is usually a symbol of oppression and control - if he falls, his regime will fall with him" - Luna answered, which made Amethyst's heart ache horribly. As low as his son has fallen, he didn't want to witness his death. The more he realized that Sombra's death is absolutely necessery, the more he cursed this world, himself and everything around him. He wished that it was another pony who would bear this burden instead of him, the burden of carrying out judgment for your own child... but there was no other choice. He has to carry on with his mission, or doom the entire generations for the life filled with nothing but suffering and pain, despair, murder and mass genocide.

"Follow me... The path will be long and difficult" - he said, and started slowly walking towards the exit. Everything inside him was burning - he finally found what he was looking for, but was this really the right thing to do? The alicorns were following him - but will they finally bring peace to this world? Those questions were awaiting their answers.

The end is near. The end of tyranny and the end to the age of darkness. Amethyst and two godlike beings are following the road back to Crystal City, to face Sombra and put an end to his evil. The prayers, that shook the world, will finally be answered. The end of darkness, the end of evil is coming, as sun and moon have sent its avatars to vanquish the wicked from these lands. The end is near.


	13. Final Punishment

"Hello... umm... How are you doing? It's a bit cold out here, you know, you should come inside... Just checking out the scenery? Oh, okay. It is quite beautiful, I agree" - Sombra said in a dreamy voice. "Ah... how I missed you, dear... I missed you so much"

He said that, as he hugged the dark Crystal Heart. Fortunately, nopony was in the Diamond Hall at the time, so this little moment of insanity would stay as his secret. The wait was killing him, the lack of sleep was taking its toll and his heart was aching from loneliness. These kind of moments happened very rarely, as Sombra still had a pretty tight grip over his mind, but sometimes, he just let himself loose. Besides, she will be back pretty soon, and he just couldn't wait.

The ritual required a long time of preparation, and only now they finally managed to set everything up. All the generals arrived with most of the troops - Sombra wanted them to witness his ultimate triumph. It was the early morning, and the reconstructed Crystal City only began to awaken - but the soldiers already patrolled the streets, guarding the peace of lawful citizens from any of those who would dare to ruin this beautiful day. And this day is beautiful, indeed - today, in the evening, Sombra will bring Krystal back.

The spell will require everything that Crystal Heart has consumed for these years. Every soul, every feeling will be put to creating a portal between worlds - the world of the living and the world of the dead, and even more energy will be needed to slowly and carefully transport Krystal's soul from there. According to Sombra's research, the soul has a memory of the body it spent the life in, and when returned to life, she will be recreated just as she was before, at the time of her death, minus the vital injury, of course.

This created a several problems for the future life - Krystal will only be 17 years old, and Sombra is almost 50. The fusion with the Crystal Heart preserved his youth, and he looks like 30 years old stallion in his prime, and he is - but it still will be very odd. But Sombra is patient - he can wait for a couple of years before the marriage. He'll wait till she's 20 - then it would make much more sense in the eyes of the servants. Sombra was sure that if he proposed right now, Krystal would agree. He never doubted her, he never will.

Sombra looked at the rising sun - it was exquisite today, bathing the world in its warmth. However, his concentration was interrupted by Orthoclase, who quietly entered the Diamond Hall.

"Um, sorry to disturb you, your magnificence, but we have a few questions to clear up" - he said, bowing down. "Should we gather round the people to witness the miracle you will perform?"

"No, no need to. They'll come on their own, because this only happens once in a lifetime. Once in the life span of the universe. Nopony has ever did this before, and nopony will ever do this after me" - Sombra said, looking at the horizon. "Just spread out across the city and make sure nopony interrupts me".

"Yes, your benevolence. Your will is law" - Orthoclase replied and took his leave. His behavior changed a lot from what Sombra can remember - his zeal and righteous fury was quite impressive. Unlike Caede, who followed his orders without hesitation and doubt, silent and deadly, Orthoclase went into battle with Sombra's name on his lips, singing psalms and prayers he created. He thought of Sombra as a divine entity, and those who followed him became just as zealous as he is, which really pissed off Metal Eye, whose mind was always cold and rational. They often got into arguments, but Sombra didn't care too much about how his servants see him - a mortal, or a god, their loyalty is what matters. And their loyalty was unquestionable. They were all ready to die for him, march into the very pits of hell under his command, and ready to crush anypony who will dare to oppose him.

The wait was killing him - he was so eager to cast the spell right now, but all the magical streams have to be in right positions, and the best time is the evening. He just has to wait a little longer - and all of his dreams will come true at last!

* * *

The wind, blowing in her face. The sound of her wings, cutting through the air. The blinding sun, basking her in its embrace. It felt so good to fly again.

As much as Luna was suspicious of leaving the Temple Supreme and going on this adventure, she was glad to finally leave those walls. For too long she has been sitting in that weary place, doing nothing - she finally understood why her sister was so glad to be released from these bonds. The freedom of flight, the loneliness in this gigantic world - this is what it means to live!

She was but a small child when she first spread her wings and flew into the air. Celestia was always near, checking how's she holding up, watching that she doesn't lose her balance. It was many centuries ago, when she and Celestia were on the run from...

Celestia never told her what they were running from. Every time Luna wanted to talk about their parents or their homeland, she turned quiet and grim, and didn't say a single word. As years passed, Luna realized that she will not discuss this matter any time soon. But she was a very caring sister - she was always there to congratulate or explain why you shouldn't do it.

So many lands they have traversed, and in every land, they were strangers, rogues. Luna was about 500 years old, by alicorns standards it was the same as 10 year old pony, when they found the Temple Supreme. The monks swore to protect them from the outside world, and, as Celestia asked, never to let them out of the temple, and make sure no mortal soul will ever discover them. She seemed very sure about her decision, but several centuries could change any opinion.

The many years spent indoors wore Celestia down - she seemed very unsure in the air, as she slowly balanced from side to side, trying to find a perfect position. Because of that, Luna has agreed to carry Amethyst on her back. He was rather quiet, despite that it was his first time flying. Or maybe he was just so scared he couldn't move a muscle. He tried his best to not to disturb Luna, often putting himself in a very uncomfortable positions, though Luna told him countless of times to just sit back and enjoy the view. She was strong enough to carry him, and she didn't even get tired.

"What are you so concerned about?" - she said, addressing Amethyst. It concerned her greatly that a pony that doesn't have an ability to fly doesn't react in any way when soaring high above the clouds.

"Um.. sorry, what?" - Amethyst said, after a brief pause. He was too immersed in his thoughts.

"What are you so concerned about? For a pony who never got to fly, you seem to be pretty calm when flying high above the ground" - she repeated her question, this time more detailed.

"Uh... nothing. I'm just a little dreamy, that's all..." - Amethyst said, but soon he realized that Luna is not going to leave him alone. "It's just that I don't know how to feel. It's my people, my country... and I am just going in to dethrone the Emperor".

"If your Emperor is as evil as you say, you are doing a right thing. Power corrupts, and in evil hands, it can do horrible things... Whole species could fall victims to it" - Luna replied. She remembered every little detail of Amethyst's description of the Emperor and his doings - she was horrified by the very idea of these things called 'genocide' and 'slavery'.

At mere mention of these words, Celestia turned grim and dark, but Luna continued to listen. Complete extinction or eternal servitude in the fields, under the over watch of merciless soldiers - that was the choice, given to any non-crystal pony. Luna shuddered at the description of the executions that have been conducted over those who didn't accept new rule.

"Yes... you are right..." - Amethyst said, turning quiet yet again. Luna wondered if she said something wrong.

Finally, Celestia stopped, and so did Luna. They both looked down, but couldn't see anything through the thick clouds. The sun was slowly going down, as the time was turning to evening.

"Can you feel it?" - Celestia said in a serious tone, and Luna checked the magical plain. Her head almost burst from the amount of dark energy that was steaming from the ground, and slowly whirling up in the skies. Restless souls, the events of great sorrow, spilt blood - all of this created a thick resonation of pain and despair. Whatever happened down there - it wasn't pretty.

"Yes...sweet moon, it's so heavy. I feel like I was just mauled by a dragon!" - Luna replied, rubbing her forehead, trying to drive away the pain.

"Let's finish this" - Amethyst said, and Celestia nod.

"Yes... the sooner we avenge the thousands of souls, thirsting for justice, the better" - Celestia said and flew down into the milky clouds. From up there, as the sunset was pouring its light over them, they looked like the snow, on which fresh blood was spilled. Luna took a second to admire this beauty of nature, then followed her sister.

They landed on the hill, over watching the great Crystal City. The peaks of towers, made out of pure crystals were piercing the sky, but the biggest one was towering even above those - never before has Luna seen something as huge as this. The streets seemed to be riddled with ponies going about their own business. Though, as she looked closer, most of them seemed to be dressed in armor, and wearing masks. Void Watchers, just as Amethyst described. Celestia almost passed out all of a sudden, but Luna managed to help her hold her balance.

"Celestia, what's wrong?" - she asked.

"So much pain coming from this place... So much blood and suffering... What is this?" - she asked, as she finally stood on her own, still shaking a bit. "What is this treachery?"

"The city seems to be different than I remember. The streets are different... What do you feel, Celestia?" - Amethyst asked, and Celestia looked at him, with tears in her eyes.

"Thousand of souls... screaming in an endless chorus. So much pain, so much blood... They drowned in the ocean of fire..." - she whispered.

Luna glanced at her sister. They are best friends forever, and they know everything about each other. They hide no secrets from each other, and they have seen each other in many forms. But never in her entire life Luna have seen Celestia looking so... horrified! Her sister knew fear - but this is no ordinary fear. It's was shock, disgust, horror and anger all mixed into one terrible feeling.

"So much death... so much death..." - Celestia whispered again and again.

"My home... and so much death? How... what did you do..." - Amethyst whispered to himself in such a way that others wouldn't hear.

"This city is... necropolis! A city of the dead! You may not hear or see it, but thousand of souls patrol the streets, crying and pleading for release... Holy moon, what atrocity is this?" - Celestia said, slowly going from shock to anger. "This is unforgivable... UNFORGIVABLE!"

She growled, as her mane started to burn brighter, and her eyes sparkled with hatred, as she looked towards the city.

Suddenly, the ground quaked, shaking like a little boat in the middle of a decuman wave. The sky above the peak of Crystal Tower turned black as the deepest abyss, and the clouds started whirling around, as if they were getting sucked inside this whirlpool.

Celestia almost fell down to the ground. She felt as all the souls were silenced, but not given peace - instead, their voices were torn out of their throats and their spiritual beings were processed into one big mass. This mass was streaming into this black hole in the sky, and the majority of the mass was coming from the top of the Crystal Tower.

Righteous fury filled Celestia's heart. Monstrosity like this doesn't deserve to even be mentioned! As the anger filled her to the brim, she started concentrating the power around her.

"Luna... prepare yourself" - Celestia said in a firm voice. Luna followed her advice, and started slowly concentrating energy as well.

"Today... we end this nightmare!"

* * *

"YES! YES! It's opening! IT'S OPENING!" - Sombra shouted at the top of his lungs in a happy voice, as the dark matter pierced the sky, and started turning into a black hole. The portal to the land of the dead was taking its physical manifestation. It became too strong to exist only in the magical plane!

"YES! YES! YES!" - he continued to shout, as the thunder pierced the sky again and again, booming like an explosion. The very reality started twisting around this portal, cracking and screaming like it was being tortured.

The ponies down below stood and gazed upon this miracle of magic. What could they say? They weren't ready for this!

Even his generals were shocked. Sombra could almost feel them standing down there with their mouths wide open, gawking at their lord twisting the very existence.

Sombra's horn was glowing with the energy of pitch black color, his mane was moving not from the wind, but by the very power he was manipulating. His eyes were full of joy and happiness, as he sent the product of countless battles, countless tortures and countless murders to power the portal. Everything inside him was burning in the fire of hope, as his mouth was widened in a smile.

So close! He is so close! Only half of the energy remaining - the Crystal Heart is slowly starting to lighten up. His endless life of torment is finally over - the happy life, life as a family soon will take over.

"My lord... what's going on?!" - the servant asked Sombra, trying to fight back the monstrous wind.

"A miracle, my friend! Just sit down, and behold!" - Sombra shouted, as he looked at this black hole, smiling, laughing and giggling.

He had a dream last night. A nightmare, just like always, the same nightmare. But now, he was about to reach that mysterious pony in the light, and save himself from the creeping dark. They will leave him soon forever, he will never have a nightmare again, knowing that his beloved pony is close and safe. He will always be calm and collected, and never again shall his heart ache. Never again shall he wake up in the bed in the middle of the night, covered in cold sweat, wishing for a better life. Never again.. NEVER AGAIN!

Suddenly, a ray of light disturbed his eye. This light was getting more and more powerful, and he finally turned around to see what dares to disturb him at such an epic moment...

The horizon was lit like it was dawn. The bloody red rays of the sun were shining through the darkness that the black hole brought. The soldiers below turned their attention to this unexpected miracle.

What is this? A second sun? Suddenly, Sombra noticed something hovering on against the background of this dawn. The light made it hard to see, but magic made his eyesight impervious to light for a moment, and he could finally look at this stranger...

A pony... an unicorn... with wings and energetic mane... Sombra felt the cold touching his limbs... It was a real alicorn. Not only that, but half of the horizon was suddenly overtaken by shadows. A blue, almost white filled the space, leaving calmness inside your soul, instead of energy and adrenaline rush, like the bloody dawn did.

The second moon?... And then Sombra saw another alicorn, a dark one this time, and on her back he saw...

No... Amethyst, the father he damned and despised so much, was carried by this majestic dark alicorn, as she and her solar counterpart were slowly making their way towards the Crystal Tower.

Sombra looked down into the floor for a bit... It was impossible. Alicorns are extinct... or don't even exist! How, how could this idiot drunkard find two of these godlike creatures?

Was it the punishment for his sins? The retribution for all the evil he had done? The very gods descended from the skies to stop this ritual and punish him. His father promised to find those stronger than him, and he found them - and now, they will end his dreams, end his happy life before it can even begin! His Krystal... his children... his family...

"KILL THEM! SHOOT THEM DOWN NOW! EVAPORATE THEM!" - Sombra growled as his throat was almost tor by the power and hatred his voice was wielding. The servant quickly ran out of the Diamond Hall to inform the soldiers, but they already heard Sombra. His shout was so loud it ripped through the height and reached their ears, despite thunder.

Hundred, thousand of energy bolts flew towards these two alicorns, threatening to turn them into meager cinders. But bright light of the sun and the moon blinded the world, as all these bolts were evaporated into thin air.

The soldiers felt this annoying, disgusting, crippling feeling that never fits a great warrior. It crawled into their stomachs, made its nest there and then slowly made its way up their throats. Fear has never befell Void Watch, except this one time. They were afraid of these two literal gods, the beings that ponies prayed to. The beings that brought punishment upon those wicked and guilty. A religious fear overtook their souls, as they tried to find a cover to shield themselves from the alicorns' godly wrath. But they took no interest in soldiers - they headed to the peak of Crystal Tower, to Diamond Hall, to Sombra.

Celestia and Luna landed not far from Sombra, as he backed away from them, closer to the Crystal Heart. Amethyst finally got off Luna, and he was so pleased to feel the ground under his hooves.

"You..." - Sombra said, looking with his wide open red eyes at Amethyst.

"Yes, I am here. It's over, Sombra" - he replied, looking at his son with sorrow. "No more shall die for your whim. Enough, Sombra, give up!"

"You... you ignorant filthy maggot! You putrid monster! You ruined my life, and now, you come back to kick me once more! You return so I would suffer even more!" - Sombra growled. "No, father. No. I'm fed up with you breaking my life"

"Father?" - Luna and Celestia turned to Amethyst, awaiting for explanation, but he just lowered his head.

"Yes... Sombra is my child... My only child... I lost him... I lost him in the darkness, let him get lost... and now, he's not himself. He's a demon, a monster who overtook my beloved son and controls his every action" - Amethyst shouted, as tears started running down his face."My son, why do you call down another blow? Why do you make others suffer just because of your stubbornness and pride?"

"Why do you hate me so much? Why?" - Sombra suddenly asked, and Amethyst was staggered. "Why do you keep ruining my life? What did I ever to do you to earn such hatred?"

"I... I am..." - he tried to answer, but the memories came in too fast, forcing him to cover his eyes. He can't look at his son - because it is his fault, and only his. If it wasn't for Amethyst, Sombra wouldn't be like this. Oh, Amethyst, you big fool.

"Son... I am so sorry..."

"I am not your son... and you... gods" - Sombra said, looking at alicorns. "If you wish to stop me..."

The tower was shaken by a blast of dark energy. Sombra hit the floor with his hooves and it was quickly covered in cracks.

"Go ahead!"

It was only a matter of time. He only has to hold them back for a little while - the spell is almost complete. All he has to do is to last a little while, and then all his plans will be completed!

Amethyst was lying on the floor, as Luna, Celestia and Sombra flew up into the air to conduct their fight there. The Diamond Hall was too small for a fight such as epic as this.

Most of Sombra's energy was engaged in the ritual, but he didn't flinch. He will fight, and he will win. It is his duty as a future husband and a parent - to secure his children's future.

Celestia quickly unleashed a barrage of quick strikes with bolts of might, followed up by Luna's shadows, flying towards Sombra, seeking to explode him. He quickly dashed out of the way of the bolts, and tried to prevent the shadow from coming too close to him, but the magical flight was nothing compared to the wings. The explosion threw him away a couple meters, but he managed to hold his balance. Celestia quickly flew towards him, planning to hit him with the energy shield, but Sombra mustered all his hatred and created the shield of his own. As these two spheres connected, the powerful shockwave was unleashed, breaking both shields and sending them flying into different directions. They quickly recovered and clashed yet again, throwing bolts of energy at each other and trying to zap one another with beams.

Luna was looking at this battle, and started to feel a bit wrong. The magic Sombra uses is the most darkest and foulest she has ever seen... but it's source was no demon, no void, no contract with the dark forces... It was Sombra's own suffering and hatred. Luna has seen what kind of energy demons can produce - and it's nearly not as dark as this...

Does the true darkness hides within the heart, and not outside it?

Sombra and Celestia were locked in a burning struggle of energetic beams, as one tried to overpower another. Sombra clenched his teeth and closed his eyes, as he unleashed this dark barrage - it was hurting him. Celestia, on the other hoof, had no problem shooting beam after beam at Sombra. She knew something fishy was going on - the great tyrant of Crystal Empire should be stronger than this. Sombra was strong, but he was no match for both sisters, and Celestia on her own could probably hold him off.

"Luna! Stop whatever he's trying to summon! I'll hold him off!" - She shouted at her sister. Sombra was too concentrated on trying to beat Celestia to notice Luna's absence. She quickly dashed to the Crystal Heart and began manipulating energy.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" - Sombra growled in a ferocious voice as he caught Celestia by surprise and overpowered her, sending her flying down into the ground. The blast of dark energy was too strong, and Celestia fell, crushing a house beneath her. Clouds of dust sprung up into the air.

She quickly got up, looked around if she didn't hurt anypony, and was about to return to battle, when suddenly a ball of energy hit the ground near her, exploding in a gigantic storm of fire.

"DIE!DIE!DIE!" - Sombra continued to shout as he threw more and more of these energy balls down where Celestia was supposed to be. "JUST DIE!"

Meanwhile, Luna tried to unravel the web of the magical streams that were continuing to feed this portal, making it grow larger and larger with each passing moment. Amethyst was just sitting on the floor, like before, thinking about lost years and guilt. Luna wanted to call him out and ask him for assistance, but she understood that there was nothing he can do. Besides, seeing his son turning into a real monster is a real blow to your soul. So Luna decided to let him be.

Celestia managed to dodge the last fireball, and fly back up into the air. She looked down and saw what destruction this rage has caused - several buildings collapsed, and the dust filled the streets. She barely managed to dodge Sombra's beam, which pierced the air and hit the ground right nearby several soldiers. The power of the blast was enough to send them flying back, and even tear a limb to one of them off.

"What are you doing?! These are your soldiers, your own people!" - she screamed, trying to appeal to Sombra's royal duty of care for his people. All that was for naught.

"I don't care! Just die! DIE!" - he screamed, throwing more and more energy blasts. Celestia looked at him - not even the fate of his own soldiers was of his concern. If she dodges these blasts, many will die from their destructive power.

Celestia breathed in and jumped right at these blasts, covering herself with a sphere of energy as protection. But it wasn't enough, and the shockwaves reached her. She barely managed to hold her balance in the air, as one of her wings was burnt, and her body was covered in cuts and bruises.

Sombra was about to deliver the killing blow, when suddenly he felt the portal... closing. He quickly turned around, and saw the black hole decreasing in size, as the energy was slowly flowing into the world, somewhere into the emptiness.

"No... NO! NO!" - He screamed at the top of his lungs and flew up into the air, towards the Diamond Hall. How didn't he notice before? He dares he to give in into emotions when everything is at stake?!

He flew up, and finally got a clear look of Luna, redirecting the energy flow away from the portal. Sombra's heart was filled with anger, as he prepared to strike, when suddenly his back was pierced by a spear of pure light. Celestia quickly reached him and send him flying towards the Diamond Hall in a single punch.

The cold floor of the Diamond Hall got to Sombra's very bones, as he fell down, feeling hundreds of shards, piercing his flesh. He tried to get up, but failed, as his strength was leaving him quickly. The despair slowly filled his soul as he looked up in the sky. The portal was slowly closing, and soon disappeared at all. The Crystal Heart stood absolutely pure, cleansed of the souls Sombra filled it with.

Celestia landed near Luna, congratulating her on the good work. Even Amethyst finally got up and looked around. The clouds slowly started to disperse, and the sun bathed the city in its warming embrace, after witnessing the 'horror' Sombra was about to unleash.

"It's over, monster. Whatever monster you were going to summon - will not come to your aid. Your reign is over" - Celestia said, looking at Sombra.

He was just sitting there, looking in the sky, as the last part of the portal evaporated, and he felt the energy dispersing and disappearing, along with hope. He... failed. He has failed. He has failed Krystal, he failed his children, he failed his mother.

The dreams of better life disappeared like dust in the wind, as his eyes were slowly filled with tears. Sombra covered his face - why? Why would this happen? Just when he was so close, he was torn away from his beloved and cast down into the pit, the pit of misery and despair. The pit he is destined to live and die in, never to see the bright light of happiness again.

"Krystal... I..." - he whispered, as the painful memories of her smile, her laughter, her kiss returned to torment him. He sobbed quietly to himself, as the tears started streaming down his face. The sorrow overwhelmed him, and it needed to get out.

Is this how it ends? With his father victorious, proudly standing above the ashes of Sombra's life? With the goddesses of sun and moon victorious? With fate finally separating him and Krystal forever?

No.

"I will not let you go! I will not leave you alone, Krystal! I promised we will be together - and I will hold my promise!" - he growled, as he finally rose up and his horn started glowing with dark energies. His body started twisting and breaking, as it slowly lifted him up in the air, continuing to rip every single bit of energy from him.

Sombra let out a chilling scream, as the bolt of energy struck near him, ripping another portion of his energy from him. His flesh started to tear from such pressure, as bleeding wounds slowly covered his body.

Celestia stood motionless before this sight. His screams truly turned the blood in her veins to ice. The suffering Sombra was putting himself through was just immense - his very soul was being torn and separated into energy streams.

"Celestia... look" - Luna said, and Celestia looked upwards only to see the thing that will be carved in her memory forever.

As the clouds were slowly pushed away, and the very air started to crack and break, the portal was reopening. Slowly, with breaks, but it was opening. Sombra had enough power to tear the rift between the realms - which he just used millions of souls on.

Sombra let out another scream, as the blood started flowing from his body and outside. His nose, his eyes, his mouth - streams of blood could be seen everywhere. A puddle was slowly forming underneath him.

"Krystal! I will never betray you! Never!" - he screamed once again, as another wound was ripped in his body, exposing his muscles. Amethyst stood in fear and horror, as he saw his son being slowly torn apart by himself. He couldn't stand his chilling screams and turned away.

Luna felt sick looking at this. She has never seen a pony being put through so much pain. The smell of blood reach her nostrils, as she walked towards the edge of the tower, that in the case if her stomach fails her, her sister will not see her shame.

"Impossible..." - Celestia whispered to herself as a deafening sound pierced her ears and the light, which she has never seen before blinded her. She felt the chaotic movements of magical streams and a movement of one soul.

Finally, Amethyst, Celestia and Luna opened their eyes, still rubbing them, trying to drive away the pain caused by such a flash. Amethyst was the first to open his eyes, and he saw a little sphere of light, descending down on the ground. It looked so little and defenseless, like even a little wind may take it away and carry it into other lands, far away from here.

When this sphere hit the floor of the Diamond Hall, it slowly started to grow, taking form and shape. After one minute, it finally assumed its true form.

"A... girl?" - Luna said, looking at the motionless body, that sparkled in the light a bit with the color of lavender, and with the amber mane.

"She's so young..." - Celestia said, approaching her. "Is that what he was trying to bring back? He did this all for a girl..."

"Not just a girl... This is Krystal, his childhood love. She died before his eyes" - Amethyst said, looking at all this. "There is much more detail to this hellish story than I told, sisters... I am sorry... but this truth just hurts too much"

"I.. I understand... It's hard when... when things like this happen" - Luna said, approaching Amethyst.

"No, it's more complicated than that. It is all my fault, that my son turned out like this. Oh, why does the fate have to be so cruel to him? Why was I such an idiot?" - he said, lowering his head. Suddenly, he approached Krystal and listened to her heartbeat.

"She's alive... Still breathing" - he said with sorrow in his voice. "Well... let me at least correct one mistake"

With these words, Amethyst shouldered Krystal, and slowly carried her towards the sisters.

"Can you help me get her out of this place? I will take good care of her - make sure she will be happy. Make sure this all wasn't in vain" - he asked, and sisters both nod. His intentions were pure and selfless, and besides, he seems to think that by raising this girl, he can make up for his mistakes.

Suddenly, a long and screeching moan reached Amethyst's ears. He looked around and saw... Sombra, still alive and moving.

His body was torn and bleeding heavily. His face was covered in red trails from his eyes, and the crimson liquid was flowing quickly out of his mouth. He couldn't even stand as he crawled towards his beloved.

"Kry...stal... I'm here... we... are... happy..." - Sombra gargled out words along with more blood, slowly crawling to her.

"We... are...together... my little pony... I am here... for you..." - he uttered. His royal clothes were torn, and his crown released a quiet crack and fell apart.

"Sombra..." - Amethyst said, slowly approaching his son's crawling half dead body. He survived that energy drain... but that only meant more pain.

"My son... you have caused so much pain to the world, and those around you. In your wake, thousands died, and thousands more lost their loved ones and relatives. You brought so much pain into this world, that I cannot even describe. I don't know many things - maybe you committed even worse sins that this... You are a criminal, my son, a tyrant, a monster, a killer" - he said, looking down at Sombra, who was crawling before him. He lifted his head and looked right into Amethyst's eyes. Sombra's eyes were full of tears and sorrow, that childish sorrow that pierces every child's heart when they think they are hurt by those they love. This heavy, exhausting sorrow that is so hard to bear in your heart.

"Celestia... Luna... I leave the fate of my son in your hooves..." - Amethyst said, closing his eyes and trying to fight back tears.

"No. We thought you told us everything. But it seems we know nothing at all. We cannot judge what we don't know" - Celestia said with sorrow and a bit of condemnation. She wasn't happy about Amethyst's past, and the fact that he hides them so eagerly.

"I understand... well then... It's my last chance to ask for your forgiveness, my son. I have caused you so much pain... So, tell me, Sombra"

"I...I hate you!...ghrgh" - Sombra said, before he started to cough horribly.

"Good... I hate myself too..."

"You took everything from me... everything... you are taking her from me..." - Sombra whispered, looking at his father.

"Sorry, my son... but this is the price you have to pay. I sentence you to eternal exile and imprisonment... in the name of Crystal Empire" - Amethyst said, as his horn started glowing. He sent out a beam of energy that hit Sombra, but did no damage to him. Instead, it started to slowly transform him into a crystal.

As the thick crystal shell was covering his body, Sombra gathered all his strength and let out a deafening, chilling scream.

"KRYSTAL!" - he said, and continued to scream in rage and despair as the crystal shell finally engulfed him fully. His scream continued to echo in their ears for good five minutes, as Celestia wiped the tears away from her face. This scream was far too familiar for her - this scream of pure hatred, pure anger, pure despair. A scream that is for eternity. A scream to express the purest hate of a pony.

Sombra... this tyrant... he was special. Celestia felt that he is... something more. The thing that remained a mystery for both Luna and Amethyst was how Sombra managed to survive this horrible process. The thing is... he didn't. Celestia felt him meeting death... He just refused to die.

Suddenly, a puff of dark smoke appeared from Sombra's petrified body. It slowly whirled around, going up, then suddenly stopped. Celestia looked at it with horror.

"Amethyst... get out. Run now! NOW!" - she screamed sending a bolt of energy into Amethyst and Krystal. The energy engulfed them both and they disappeared in flash of light.

"What did you do?" - Luna asked.

"I sent them away from what is about to happen" - Celestia replied. She knows what kind of smoke it is.

The smoke started growing, bigger and bigger, turning into a huge cloud, with strange noises coming from it. Finally, it assumed the form of a giant storm, closing half of the horizon with itself. Slowly, at the front of this tempest, something similar to a head appeared.

Sombra's Shadow opened its green eyes, with pure darkness streaming out of them, and gazed upon the Crystal City, as all the ponies gazed upon this twisted being. They were frozen in place, as this being seemed even more ungodly powerful than alicorns.

"Refused to die... he refuses to be imprisoned" - Celestia said, looking at this monstrosity as it unleashed a terrifying roar. The crystals, that were forming the carcass of Crystal Tower started to shatter and break. The tower started to shake.

"We cannot fight it! It's too powerful!" - Luna shouted. "What the hell is this thing?"

"It's a Shadow, born out of pure hate" -Celestia replied, shielding her face from the particles that were carried by the wind. Luna looked at her with surprise - there is only one kind of ponies that can create such Shadows.

The Shadow roared once again, unleashing Sombra's terrifying rage, and slammed its head into the Diamond Hall, right into the Crystal Heart, where Luna and Celestia were standing nearby.

An explosion of darkness has been unleashed as it consumed the city and all ponies within it in seconds. This hellish wave continued to fly through the world, wiping away any evidence of Crystal Empire. Ponies, houses, soldiers, weapons, concentration camps, even ground. The rage of Sombra has taken the whole Empire along with it.

* * *

After the dust settled down, Celestia and Luna found themselves in a wasteland. There was nothing for miles - only endless snow. It was strange, since it was the middle of the summer, but the dark magic possesses many tricks.

Both sisters were exhausted to their limit. They were heavily beaten, and the darkness was still lingering to them. However, this wasn't victory. Sombra is gone, but he took the Empire along with him. Dragged it into the void, leaving only snowy wastelands.

"What happened?" - Luna asked, and Celestia shrugged.

"I do not know. But I can finally hear silence. The souls are not screaming anymore. They are put to rest".

"But is it over?"

"I doubt it, sister" - Celestia replied, and they stood like this for a while, resting. They were glad to save at least two last remnants of this empire - Celestia's spell sent them away far enough for Sombra's Shadow to be unable to reach them... which power covered entire countries.

"So.. what do we do now?" - Luna asked, and Celestia smiled.

"We go where we are needed. We have revealed ourselves to the world, there is no point in hiding anymore. Let us venture forward and see, if there are other ponies who need our help" - she said, and Luna nod to that. She liked this idea - the Crystal Empire may be gone, but it's no reason for mourning. They have to venture onward and see if they can fix the damage Sombra's reign has caused to the world, and just to help other ponies. It was their destiny - to help those in need.

Luna was worried about young Krystal and Amethyst... but there was little they could do now. Celestia was casting in haste, and they don't know where that spell sent them. They only had to hope that they will be able to carry on through this crisis.

Celestia herself was even more grim than ever. This story really got to her - all these deaths and endless suffering, and the tragic story of a tyrant, who may have been a decent pony, but the life has decided otherwise. She slowly began to realize the sad truth that even though everypony is free to make choice, you are sometimes shaped to take special choices. She didn't know much about Sombra and his life - and she may never get to know anymore. Maybe he is gone forever, but some itchy feeling in her gut told her that she will hear about Crystal Empire and Sombra in the distant future.

Luna and Celestia left the where a glorious city once stood, and now only snow and wind howl in the night. For something that took centuries to build, it took one pony to destroy. What is the future of Crystal Empire and its habitants, and do they even have a future? The time will tell.


	14. Confession of a tortured God

Epilogue.

The cold... it touches my skin and kisses my neck, slowly planting the seeds of sleep into my mind. Or are those the seeds of madness? I do not wish to know. I can't know, for in my prison, there is only me and my tormentors. They are legion - they know no mercy and no remorse. They come every day and torture me without stop, as long as it pleases them.

Their names are Fate, Life and Love. These three will never leave alone, forever I am stuck with them carved in my skin.

Fate. Oh, Fate, the one that grants fortune to some, and takes this fortune from others. You merciless, evil bitch. By your will, the walls of my prison turn into long and sharp spikes, as the walls twist and turn to prick and pierce my eyes. The blood has already replaced my tears, what more do you need? Why do you prick my eyes with possibilities, that seems shiny and golden, but in reality they leave only bleeding empty holes instead of your eyes?

Life... Endless and never ending flow of Life continues, despite that I am not a part of it. You flow like an endless river, never seeming to stop, with ponies drowning in you like they were rocks, thrown into a pond by some bored child. I was the unfortunate one to drown and reach the bottom. This bottom is filled with sharp rocks, that cut into my belly, taking their toll in blood and insides. But every time I get back up, they slowly return to me, grow back, only to be taken by you again and again and again. Haven't I suffered enough?

Love, oh Love, the most cruelest of my tormentors. You come at nights, after the tortures of the day, and look at me with care and tender. You touch my mutilated body, as you sing a beautiful melody in a voice that I will never forget. My wounds heal and restore as you sit there with me, singing to me like I am your baby, your little child. But when the day comes again, you leave me, leave me behind, for your cruel sisters to torment me yet again. Every night, you come, and every night, I accept you. Why do you keep coming, just to leave me for more torture?

I raise my eyes and look at the transparent wall of my glacier prison. In that image I see the sun, I see the green grass and trees, and I see Krystal, slowly walking alongside my father. The spikes are pricking my body, letting the blood flow and fill the floor... or is it I that harm me?

I have finally understood the meaning of the nightmare I was having, for I saw it once more when I lost you, Krystal. I wasn't running away from the darkness - I was carrying it. The pony, standing in the light, was no other than I. In this final dream, I have reached this pony, and this light, only to see the darkness to quickly consume it. Without hesitation, I sink the teeth into the neck of a younger, child me. My flesh tastes like a ambrosia, as I drink the blood and tear away the pieces of meat to slowly consume them. When the nightmare was over, I woke up, and I felt the blood dripping from my mouth.

Why? Why does it have to be like this? Why do I have to suffer by watching you, Krystal? I can sense you, I can feel you. You are my part. I do not exist without you - then why do we exist apart.

In anger, I slam the walls of my prison, and slowly drag my hooves down, leaving bloody trails and cutting my flesh even more. I smear the blood all across the endless room that I am in, but I cannot stop seeing you. You are always in my sight, in my mind. You are the Love.

My whole life...my whole entire life was a cruel joke. A sick, twisted joke, but I am not laughing at it. I just don't find it funny.

This saga of my life... this tale of my years and reign... it is nothing to future generations. I am nothing - without you, I am but a speck of dust. This saga of hatred has gone on too long. Too long... Please, Love, come and prepare me. My torture awaits.

* * *

AN: This concludes the tale of Sombra that I wanted to tell you. Please, tell me how you feel about this work of fiction and leave feedback. If you liked it - tell me why. If you hated it - tell me why. I am all open for reviews!


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